The Path to Good and Evil
by silverbulletsdeath
Summary: The stories are so sanitized, sex in image without blood or true conflict. But what is good and evil? How is one person good when they make another miserable? Are they evil for having dreams? This follows Apple the Royal who only wants her destiny after her graduation that year, and Raven who wants to be good and follow her own path.
1. Royal

Author's Note: This is what happens when I watch the first new episodes of something. So yeah, I watched up to when Cupid comes and this is my version of what happens to the Rebels and Royals. Lots of references to fairy tales. Which means that it is more violent than the sanitized version, and more references to sex (though with those outfits I'm not sure what message they are sending). Basically an Ever After High that reflects Fairy Tales, not just make a buck off them (not that I don't appreciate that they at least give girls the chance to look for fairy tales now that they know this version). The OCs are minimal. All are, or are based on, classic fairy tales, and I limited them to small parts.

Know that certain characters will be out of character since it is based off watching just a few episodes but know characters like the Evil Queen and Duchess exist without first seeing them on screen. And no offense to Shannon Hale, but I am completely disregarding her books in order to make this one.

Chapter One: Royal

Waking up with the sunrise and singing with the waking birds helped start another perfect day. Apple White smiled and held out her hand for one of the school's doves to come and land on her hand. Raven Queen groaned and shoved her head under her pillow. Apple White smiled at her roommate. Raven Queen was trying so hard to buck her destiny for some silly reason, but Apple White believed she just had to encourage and be a good role model and Raven Queen would realize who she really was and take up her role as the evil queen in Apple White's story.

The rays from the sun lit up the room. It was actually sort of funny. It was perfect the way the light came in and made her side of the room so bright and cheery, while the shadows darkened and caste ominous shadows on Queen Raven's side of the room.

Apple rocked on her heels, as she looked through her wardrobe. Today was Legacy Day. This was officially the day that her destiny started. Really, this was when the school year really began everything before was just prologue. Now every senior at Ever After High would cement their parts and spend the next year perfecting their skills so they could complete their stories. Apple just needed the perfect outfit to wear that night. Raven had already received her own evil dress the night before. Genuine dragons had flown it to her. Raven might be a little confused about her destiny, but her mother certainly knew how important it was with that display. Apple could almost forgive the woman for what she had done to her mother. The Evil Queen knew her daughter belonged in Apple's story, even if Raven hadn't realized it yet.

With a sigh Apple started going through her dresses trying to find something remotely suitable. The fairy godmother teaching damsel in distress psychology hadn't let her skip class when it became clear that mother had forgotten to get her something and Apple hadn't been able to go to town and get something suitable. Apple sighed. Miss Green Fairy should have understood and let Apple go shopping. It wasn't Apple's fault that her mother was more preoccupied with run the kingdom and helping the less fortunate to remember to get her daughter something special for Legacy Day.

Really Snow just didn't understand how important this day was to Apple. Apple's mother had actually told Apple that the only reason she sent Apple to Ever After High was because the Headmaster had pressured her into it. Apple didn't understand. Didn't her mother want Apple to get her happily ever after? Sure, she wouldn't live it in school, but she would learn and pledge herself to that destiny. In many ways, this was better.

The wind blew through the open window, shaking Apple of her increasingly depressing thoughts. Apple reminded herself that she was a royal, and a soon to be queen. She had nothing to get depressed over. She still had her happily ever after to look forward to. And she would make her pledge regardless of what she was wearing. There was a soft trill from a couple of doves that came in and settled on Apple's bed. Apple let a soft, understanding sigh escape her lips as she turned to shew the birds out. Apple loved them, but Raven didn't like birds in the room and, truthfully, Apple discouraged birds from landing on her bed. Most, importantly, while they never made mess on her side of the room all but a couple made a point to leave Raven a little "gift" when they left. Apple in good consciousness could not allow that. She understood the way they felt, but Raven couldn't help what she was, and that meant Apple got her destiny.

"Oh my," said Apple, squealing and jumping up and down as she clapped her hands. There, with the doves flying and holding it up with frantically flapping wings, was the most beautiful and extravagant dress she'd had since her fifth birthday. Apple ran forward and caught her dress just as it started to fall. She always had good luck like that.

"Apple," growled Raven. Apple looked around and then giggled, covering her mouth with one delicate hand.

"Sorry," she whispered. Raven glared out from underneath her dark purple pillow. The Rebel's hair was a positive mess. Apple just giggled as Raven sighed and tried to burrow under her covers. Apple decided that she better get out quickly before Raven destroyed her dress in revenge. Raven might think she wanted to be good, but the evil queen to be still managed to do plenty of damage with her spells, especially when irritated with person.

The bodice of the outfit turned out to be a little difficult to get on. In response, Apple picked up a little bell, the small tinkle of glass making Raven groan again, but also a dozen small brownies appeared and laced up the bodice tight. Apple felt her breath leave her body and the hoop skirt almost through her off balance. Apparently, the front of it went up to mid thigh. Very pretty but it took some figuring so Apple didn't trip over her heels. Finally the fairies finished. Apple was scared to see how it looked. What if her mother got a dress that looked good on her. Since Apple had the wrong color hair, it might look horrible on her.

When the brownies disappeared in a small puff of smoke Apple was all done up. Apple skipped over to her vanity mirror. It still didn't tell her how beautiful it was, but Apple didn't need a mirror to tell her if an outfit looked great on her makeup was smudged. The hoop skirt was a little too black, but thankfully it was just an accent to the rest of the ensemble. The bodice was white with delicate gold designs. The chemise was a vibrant red. And her outer dress, well, with a gold crown on her head, her outfit made her look like the queen she was soon to be.

It didn't take too long to put on the appropriate makeup, and Apple grabbed her purse and skipped from the room, remembering to close the door behind her softly. She was such a good roommate.

All the windows in the castle were wide open. Soon it would be too late in autumn and too cold to leave the windows open all the time. But for now fresh air kept the dusty castle easy to live in. Apple happily skipped down the stairs. She knew better than to go to wake Briar so early in the morning. Especially since Briar had thrown that Royal party last night. She wouldn't be awake until the afternoon, and with no classes, Apple had the whole day to primp and get herself psyched. She couldn't ware herself out, but that didn't mean she would get some stuff done.

Apple was still a little worried about Raven. Would the Rebel embrace her evil queen inside by tonight and what would happen if she didn't. What would happen if Raven didn't promise to complete destiny? Apple reminded herself that the Headmaster had planned it so that it would be too awkward for Raven not to promise she would follow her in her mother's footsteps. He had made it so that all the students who were known royals to go before Raven. Apple went right before her, and Apple knew that she would inspire Raven to do the right thing.

For some reason Ashlynn wasn't going before Raven, but then, maybe the Headmaster put her in the middle of the so called rebels to make sure that they saw the sensibility in following in their parents' footsteps.

The further Apple went into the castle, the more she off she felt. There were very few people walking the corridors. When Apple got to the cafeteria, she saw that only the Three Little Pigs were there. Apple grabbed an orange and ran from the place. She needed to find people, or maybe go and find some animals to sing too. Apple sent a couple of texts through her imirror, but no one responded. Apparently everyone was tuckered out from the party, even the characters from other cliques must have had their own parties, and obviously everyone was sleeping in before the big day.

In the end, Apple decided to take a walk through the maze in the garden. There was little chance that she would rip or damage her dress, and she would also be careful to get the attention of the animals that made their home there. Really, it was looking like she should have overslept, at least this once.

Apple shivered, her fingers digging into her orange. The fingers actually broke through the skin she dug so hard. Apple looked down at the orange. Her breath got caught in her chest, as red juice slipped over her hand, staining and making her hand sticky. Why was she bleeding? When had she hurt herself? Then she really looked at the orange. The inside of it was red, blood red. That wasn't right. Inside of oranges was orange not...

Some twisted hand clasped onto Apple's shoulder, and she pushed away at the person and tried to run away. Instead Apple fell down and crashed into the wall of the castle, grazing by moving armor. Apple flipped herself around and looked in front of her, putting her hands in front of her face to ward off the evil that was threatening her. What she saw, confused her. A teenager that Apple didn't recognized stood in front of her. She was odd looking, wearing the most drab clothing Apple had ever seen and slippers instead of high heel shoes. She had white, thin, straight hair that had an almost feather like quality. But despite the white hair, she had light brown skin and eyes as blue as sapphires.

Apple then realized she was lying on the ground, quite unlike queen. Her chest pounding like she had run through the forest. She quickly tried to stand, but she was still off balance from her new dress. Right, that was it. Apple swore gently as her heels tipped when she tried to stand.

A hand appeared in front of her. After a second of shock, Apple took the other girl's hand and let her help her up.

"Uh, hi," said Apple, and then she shook her head. She was the daughter of Snow White and she was going to be the queen. She needed to be diplomatic and stop tripping all over herself. "Sorry, I didn't mean too so ungraceful. Thank you for helping me."

The girl took out her mirror and started writing, she then flipped the tablet. Apple looked at what she wrote. _Are you okay?_

"Why aren't you talking to me?" asked Apple. The teen took back her tablet and wrote one word.

_Mute_.

"Oh, you poor dear," said Apple and quickly went forward and embraced the strange girl. The girl stiffened, but Apple just drew her in closer before she let her go. "I'm Apple White, the daughter of Snow White. It's nice to meet you."

Once the girl was free of Apple, the girl started writing. _I'm Angel Mary_.

"Why can't you talk?" asked Apple. "Have you already graduated and started your story? What's it like? Is it everything you hoped it would be? Is your happily ever after soon?"

Angel laughed and quickly started writing. _No to graduating and a sorta to the story._

"What do you mean?" asked Apple.

_I am part of a spontaneous story_, wrote Angel. _Those can be more complicated and uncertain_.

"Oh, I didn't know there was such a thing as spontaneous stories anymore," said Apple. Would meeting Angel hurt Raven's chance at her destiny? Angel appeared to be laughing. She started writing again.

_Are you over your anxiety attack?_ Apple gasped. It hadn't been an anxiety attack. She was a queen, strong and sure of who she was and her destiny.

"I didn't have an anxiety attack," said Apple, crossing her arms. Angel tilted her head, her brows furrowing, and then she started writing again.

_Why did you destroy your blood orange?_ Angel wrote, her expression almost overly concerned.

"Blood Orange?" Apple looked down at the orange that she had destroyed. So this wasn't a normal orange! "Wait, so I got an orange filled with blood. Did one of the evil characters change the oranges?"

_No, it's just called blood orange because it's red on the inside. Still edible, I think it's better than normal oranges,_ Apple felt her mouth fall open in surprise. She looked down at the mutilated fruit.

"Oh, well that's just silly," said Apple with a roll of her eyes.

_I haven't eaten at all today and had quite a long journey to get here_, wrote Angel.

"Oh, of course, how rude of me," said Apple. She turned and started heading back toward the cafeteria. "So are you going to transfer here now? I mean, you did come out of the Headmaster's office. We are in that area."

Apple glanced over at Angel, who finished writing and handed over her answer. _No. I'm just here to observe Legacy Day._

"Oh, are one of your siblings going to be pledging today?" asked Apple, clapping her hands together.

_You could say that_, wrote Angel. Apple smiled at her. The cafeteria was still pretty deserted when they got there. A couple of people had joined the Three Little Pigs, but they were all anthropomorphic characters and happily eating, though the rabbits kept looking at the fox sideways. Apple sighed. She would have liked to introduce Angel to her friends, but even though Apple loved anthropomorphic animals, they just didn't run in the same circles, and they were busy eating and probably wouldn't be interested in meeting Angel anyway.

Apple directed and insisted on paying for Angel's breakfast and two blood oranges, Angel got pancakes and sausages. Apple decided that she should eat a little something. It would be embarrassing to swoon on such an important day because of low blood sugar. A flash of red disappeared out the door. It looked like Cerise was running away again. Really, Apple didn't understand how Daring had become such close friends with the character. Cerise had such a wonderful story, well, except the whole getting eaten thing, but the repetition and symbolism of her story was just so beautiful. Why was she so jump? It wasn't like Professor Wolf stayed outside the evil end of the castle grounds

Breakfast was nice. Apple started to hum under her breath as she picked at her fruit salad. When she finished, Angel was still eating. The white haired teen ate very slowly, acting as if each bite would be her last and she was savoring that last bite. After a couple of minutes, Angel reached into her dress and took out a small vile and placed it next Apple's abandoned plate. Apple looked at it in confusion.

Angel started tapping away at her mirrorpad and then flipped it Apple's way before she returned to eating slowly again_. It's stain remover. That's a very beautiful dress. I'd hate for the gold deign to be ruined._

"What?" asked Apple and then looked down at her dress. There was a scattering of red stains across her bodice. She gasped in distress and quickly snatched up the bottle. Angel gave her a handkerchief. Apple first soaked a part of it in the remover and then started to dab at the stains. "Am I doing it right?"

Angel nodded. Apple sighed gratefully.

"You are a lifesaver," she told Angel. "You have to let me thank you. I know. I could get you a nice outfit for tonight. Not that what you're wearing isn't..."

Apple trailed off as Angel started laughing. It was a very weird laugh. Completely silent, Apple couldn't even hear Angel breathe in. Angel then took back her pad and started writing again.

_I have a nicer dress in my room. I'm wearing this until then. It's not very pretty, but I only brought one nice dress and didn't want to chance getting it ruined. You're very brave_. As Apple read the mirrorpad she felt her cheeks turning red.

"I guess I was just so excited to get this dress that I didn't even think about what could happen to it. I should have waited," said Apple. Really, she was being so silly today. Nothing like the queen she should be.

_It looks beautiful on you_, Angel wrote.

"I know right?" asked Apple cheerfully. Then her smile fell a little. "Maybe I should get changed. Oh, but I promised you a shopping trip. Are you sure you don't want to go buy something?"

_Could I get a tour? I heard that this school has a magnificent gardens_. Apple gasped.

"Oh my, you must have been reading my mind. Before I bumped into you I was totally planning on going to the maze. You have to go through the maze to get to the garden," said Apple, clapping her hands in excitement.

Angel lifted one eyebrow. _You have to? _

"Well, not technically I suppose," said Apple and then pouted at Angel. Angel laughed.

_I would love to go to the maze, but you have to keep wearing that dress. I'll feel really important being shown around by someone dressed so regally_. Apple blushed at the compliment.

"Alright, but you have to keep wearing those rags. It'll make me feel like I'm doing some charity," said Apple teasingly. Angel laughed soundlessly and they both stood to drop off their trays. Angel slipped the blood orange into her tote bag.

The maze was as beautiful as it always was. The flowers were in full bloom. They talked for hours, not about much, just about whatever came to mind. Apple told Angel all about the school and what she knew about the gardens. The gardens were mostly kept up by students and a select number of faculty. Yes, servants made sure everything was okay and sometimes did menial things. Apple told Angel everything she knew about it. She couldn't remember the name of the brother and sister who kept up the maze. But Jack had a good plot going, and not just of beans, and Lizzie had the most amazing rampion.

As the day went on, Apple started learning a lot about Angel. The teenager knew a lot about plants. Apple started to wonder if Angel was a flouriest. She knew what every flower and plant meant. Apple really wished that Angel could transfer into their school. Even though the other girl was mute, she was an amazing conversationalist. Maybe her destiny was over, but having a peer who had completed her destiny could be good for moral.

Just as the sun was reaching its peak, Apple saw Raven at one of the gazebos reading one of her books. Apple smiled. The future queen was almost done with her tour and she could introduce Raven to Angel. It would be interesting. Angel probably didn't have too many encounters with a nice evil person. Angel had this wonderful sense of humor and maybe Raven could help convince Angel to stay at the school. Everyone needed an education, even with her story done, Angel still needed to learn something's for her life, and she needed to meet people and hang out with girls her own age.

Apple turn back to read what Angel had written to describe the white roses splashed with red that Lizzie was growing along with her rampion.

"What do you think you're doing?" demanded Raven. Apple looked over at Raven in surprise. Apple wasn't doing anything wrong. Guests were allowed to see the grounds if they had been cleared by the Headmaster, and Apple was sure Angel had been cleared. She had been next in the Headmaster's office when they had banged into one another. But Raven wasn't looking at Apple, she was looking at Angel. Angel was busy writing something onto her mirrorpad, and only flipped it around as Raven got a few feet away.

_Hello Raven_. Angel was smiling as she looked at the next evil queen.

"Apple get away from her," said Raven angrily, pulling Apple away from Angel quite roughly.

"You know each other?" asked Apple in surprise. Raven glanced at her before turning to glare at Angel.

_We're neighbors,_ wrote Angel.

"What are you doing here Angel? I didn't think they'd let you out of Poison Village after what they found out you did," said Raven, actually sounding like the Evil Queen that she was born to become.

_Allegedly_, wrote Angel, her smile turning into a smirk, the visitor looked less innocent as she relaxed back so she was leaning against the back of her heels. _I'm here for the same reason Petal is here for the students pledging their life to a good part in a story. I'm here to make sure that none of the good characters try anything to any of you swearing to be evil._

"Fine, then hang out around the ones of us that are evil. Leave Apple and girls like her alone. She doesn't know your real nature. She doesn't get what evil really is," snapped Raven. Apple looked at Raven in confusion. Angel wasn't evil. At least, she hadn't acted or done anything to Apple that was evil. In fact, Angel had helped Apple out and been nothing but kind. Really, Apple didn't understand why Raven was being so mean to someone that was on the same side as her. If Angel really was evil, Apple would have thought Raven would get along with her. Or at least be on speaking terms with her. After all, most other characters who were villains were intimidated by Raven.

_I'll go get ready for tonight then_, wrote Angel, still smirking. She then started writing again and held the mirrorpad so it was obvious the next message was for Apple. _It was good to meet you Apple. Thank you for the tour. _

"You're welcome," said Apple with a song, and then she almost fell into an ungraceful heap when Raven started pulling her away harshly. "Really Raven, what was that all about?"

Raven practically pushed Apple away from her when they got closer to the school. Apple turned to the future evil queen and glared. Only to see that Raven was glaring at her. the future evil queen looked furious. It was one of the few times that Apple actually found herself a little scared of Raven. But Apple forced herself not to take a step back and held her ground, squaring her shoulders and holding her ground proudly like any good queen should.

"What is your problem Raven?" demanded Apple, stomping one foot against the ground. Raven spun on Apple and stormed right into the Royal's personal space.

"My problem? I wasn't the one showing around a dangerous harpy," snapped Raven. Apple titled her head to the side and then forced herself to stop leaning back and get right into Raven's face so they were almost standing nose to nose.

"She didn't do anything to me Raven. She's just as dangerous as you are," said Apple with a roll of her eyes.

"No, I want to be good. Angel... I can't even begin to describe what she did to her..." Raven shivered and looked a little sick. Then she glared at Apple. "You shouldn't be so reckless. Just because you have a happy ending in your story doesn't mean that if you get mixed up with the wrong evil that you won't end up more than briefly poisoned. Angel isn't bound by our rules. She didn't have to promise like the rest of us to not do evil while in school, and she never had a set destiny. She can do what she wants."

"Well of course she swore. I met her when she was coming out of the Headmaster's office," said Apple with a roll of her eyes. "And Angel didn't seem that bad."

"You don't know what she did," hissed Raven.

"What did she do?" asked Apple. Raven opened her mouth and then clicked it shut again, looking away, once again looking sick.

"Apple, we've been looking for you," said Briar as she flew down the steps to Apple. Behind her was Blondie, Maddie Hatter, and a couple of other characters. "Come on, we can't get Duchess off Daring. We're afraid he'll try to make himself ugly again. You know what happened last time."

Apple felt her face heating up. No matter what she did, Duchess was always trying to steal Daring away. Not that Daring and Apple were dating, but Daring was a close friend and could very well be her Prince Charming. While he liked attention, Duchess made him uncomfortable, and it hurt him when he pushed his hair out of his eyes or dirtied his teeth. It was against his nature.

So Apple went to save her best guy friend from the actual evil harpy. Personally Apple couldn't wait until Duchess turned into a dirty swam, maybe it would turn her into a better person. It would get her a prince that was actually interested in her for one thing.

For the rest of the day, Apple hung out with her friends helping them get ready. She redid her makeup, and helped Ashlynn needed a little help picking out the perfect shoes, and Briar had decided to make her own outer gown at the last minute and so they had an impromptu sewing party. Daring even showed Holly how to thread a needle. That skill had surprised Apple. She didn't know that guys could sew, and Daring was a prince. What use did sewing have for him? Why learn it? Daring had shrugged and said that his mother liked sewing so much she often neglected her other duties. Apple had known that, but hadn't figured out that Daring had learned sewing so he could spend time with his mother.

Finally, fifteen minutes before they needed to be down and ready, the girls all looked their best in their most expansive and extravagant dresses. All the boys looked handsome and refined. Most importantly every single one of them all looked like the fairy characters they were meant to be. As Apple gathered with the rest of the students in the cafeteria, she couldn't help but bounce on the balls of her feet. It was starting to get a little hot. Apple couldn't wait until the senior class was led out and into the open air.

Still, despite how ready she was to take the pledge, Apple couldn't help but be a little nervous. This was such a big moment for her. Would her parents make it? Raven was standing just a couple of feet away from Apple talking to Mattie. Raven really looked nerved up. Apple really hoped that her roommate had learned and accepted her place as the new Evil Queen. No more silly rule breaking. No more Rebels. Just characters read to complete their destinies and play their parts.

Finally they started heading out the door to the beginning of their stories. The courtyard was well lit, the mood just right for heading out to make the most important moment of her (and everyone's) life. The walk was long, it seemed like thousands of people had shown up to see them pledge their destiny. The sun was just starting to go down as they ascended up the stairs. One of the pigs squealed in fear, he must have looked over the railing at the cliff's edge.

Once the Headmaster had said his part the pledges began. Four gigantic mirrors hung in the sky and showed the face of the pledge as they swore to uphold their destinies and turned the key in the book. Apple held her key tight to her chest and watched with only a little fear as everyone pledged to play their parts. Sometimes, she would go over in her head how she would say her pledge. It was important that she got it just right.

And then Lizzie Hearts, having sworn to follow her mother the Queen of Hearts, stepped off the stage and it was her turn. Apple took one last deep breath in and walked to the edge to the podium and the book. She forced away those pesky worries and as soon as she was only a couple of steps away from the podium she spread her arms out wide and let the birds that flew her way land on her arms.

"I am Apple White, daughter of Snow White, and I am ready to pledge my destiny," said Apple, spreading out her arms again though now birds landed on them. There was a loud cheer and confetti was thrown once again into the air. Apple smiled. "I pledge to follow in my mother's footsteps. To eat the poisoned apple from the evil queen and not wake until my prince kisses me and to become the greatest and fairest queen to my people."

And with that declaration, Apple fitted her key into the book and turned. A light went off and covered Apple in a warm glow. Flowers and tiaras flew her way as the crowd went wild. Apple gathered up what flew right in her arms and gave her audience a perfect wave and then blew a kiss into the air. As she headed back, the Headmaster stopped her and signaled her to stand on one side of the podium as Raven walked to the podium. Raven was wringing her hands, her expression stormy. Apple turned to watch the misfit. She really did feel sorry for Raven. The poor dear just could not accept who she was. It was tragic, really.

But Apple believed in Raven. The other girl would make the right choice in the end. Raven certainly dressed the part of an evil queen, and the future Evil Queen had had so many good peer role models on follow her story line. As Raven got closer to the podium storm clouds moved in and lightning lit up the sky. Where once it had just been sunset, now it was purple twilight.

"I am Raven Queen," said Raven, her voice sure and steady, though Apple was facing the opposite direction of the mirrors so she couldn't see her expression. Apple kept her hands clasped together, almost cutting off circulation, but the smile stayed on her face. Raven could do it. With the support of Apple and the Headmaster next to her, she was sure to pledge to carry out her part of the story. She wouldn't let all of them disappear into smoke. "Daughter of the Evil Queen, and I pledge. Um. I..."

Apple put her hands out in front of her, bouncing up and down and willing Raven to say the words. Just say the words and turn the key.

"Come on, do it," said Apple, her words escaping her in her excitement when Raven turned to glance in her direction. She hadn't meant to, but maybe it was for the best, Raven was obviously looking for support, and hopefully she would be able to overcome her weaknesses knowing that Apple was there to support her.

"I..." and then Raven sighed again. Apple could feel the butterflies return to her stomach and tension knotting her shoulders.

"I pledge to write my own story and be true to my real self," said Raven, and before it had really sunk in what had happened, Raven turned to key. Purple magic sprang from the book and completely covered Raven. Apple felt her hands go to her mouth and took a couple of devastated steps backward and then fell to her knees.

She watched in horror as Raven was surrounded in purple magic. Raven was probably gone now, and without Raven, Apple had no more story. What story was there without the main antagonist. Who was the prince going to save her from? Herself? Apple looked down at her own hands and then body and waited to watch as she disappeared into nothing too. Tears started rolling down her eyes, and Apple felt someone grab her under the arms and start to lead her away.

Eventually Apple fell asleep in person's arms, tears still running down her face.

"Is she going to be okay?" asked a voice that sounded like Blondie.

"Yeah, I just think she was a little shell shocked," said Briar, really close to Apple. Oddly close to Apple. Suddenly the Royal's eyes sprang open and she looked behind her. "Wow easy."

"How did I? Where is Daring?" asked Apple, her voice cracking as she looked around. She saw all her friends, but maybe Daring hadn't taken the pledge and her happy forever after really was gone, never to come back. Apple felt tears stream down her face anew.

"Oh, Apple," Daring pushed his way to the front of the crowd and then drew Apple into a tight embrace. Apple dug her face into his chest and held him tight with one arm.

"Why weren't you holding me? have you become a..?" Apple wasn't able to ask if he had become a Rebel. The word got choked in her throat.

"You wouldn't let go of my hand," said Briar dryly, holding up their clasped hands. Apple blushed and let Briar go. The adrenaline junkie immediately started to try and rub blood back into her hands.

"I would never leave you Apple," said Daring, drawing in Apple close. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I don't... did Raven disappear? Am I going to disappear?" asked Apple hesitantly.

"No, Raven is fine. The Headmaster said that she and the other Rebels didn't say they weren't going to follow their destiny, they just said they would be true to themselves," said Briar. "So we still have a chance."

"Other Rebels?" asked Apple. Briar sighed and nodded.

"A good handful of characters after Raven gave the same pledge," said Blondie, her expression forlorn.

"Cerise?" asked Apple. Daring shook his head.

"No, she pledge to follow her mother's path. We think. We couldn't really hear her, but she's still hanging around us," said Blondie. Then she bit her lip and tears appeared in her eyes. "It's Ashlynn. She's the one who..."

"Why?" asked Apple, standing up though still feeling a little light headed and shaky on her feet. Daring let go of her but tried to put an arm around her shoulder. Apple backed away from him.

"You're not going to freak out again?" asked Daring, and Apple glared at him and then at everyone.

"I don't understand. What is wrong with all of you? How can you be so calm?" demanded Apple, backing up as her thoughts jumbled all together.

"Calm down. You're going to have another panic attack," said Holly gently.

"Why do people keep saying that! I am not having a panic attack!" shouted Apple. "You're all just standing there while our world is falling apart! How could they do this? Why would they do this!"

"Oh Apple," said Briar, standing next to Daring. "It'll be ok. We'll work things out."

Apple shook her head.

"I just... I just need to leave," said Apple, still backing up. "I just need to be alone."

Apple turned and fled. She saw Daring reach for her, but Briar stopped him. The future Snow White didn't even think about where she was going. She ended up past where she had taken her pledge all the way into the gardens. It seemed that she still had tears to spare because they were streaming down her face.

That's why Ashlynn hadn't gone before Raven, because the Headmaster had somehow knew that, for some reason, Ashlynn was going to turn on them.

It didn't matter. Raven still was the one who started characters turning their backs on their stories. How could she do that?

"I'm not..." said a voice, and then Apple froze. She had run away, right in Cupid. The pink monster turned to her in surprise. "Apple, you look horrible. Did Daring dump you?"

Apple shook her head, and then looked Cupid right in the eye. "Did you pledge to be like you're mother?"

"Well, no, but I didn't even know my real mother. I was accepted into this school under special circumstances, remember?" asked Cupid. Apple nodded. She did remember there being some rumor about special circumstances for Cupid. After all, there was no story for Cupid to follow. She was just supposed to help out the characters or something. "I was just here to give everyone support, and then I met Angel and wanted to talk about her opinions on Monsters after talking to Petal."

"Angel?" asked Apple, looking past Cupid. Angel stood there. She was dressed in a white feather outer dress with a black sequin bodice, a swirling black, and white hoop skirt with feathers as fringe. Her hair was mostly undone, with only a small black tiara peaking out of her hair, and on her feet were a simple pair of flat white slippers. For some reason they made Angel look very young. Apple wasn't used to seeing girls wear flat shoes, she hadn't wore flat shoes since she was a baby.

_Hello Apple_, wrote Angel. The evil harpy, as Raven called her, had a gentle, understanding smile. _Quite the upset tonight, wasn't it?_

"What will Raven's mom think?" asked Apple, remembering that Raven said they were neighbors. Angel shrugged.

_She's busy at the moment. She might forget right after I tell her_, wrote Angel.

"Oh my, no wonder Raven doesn't care about her future," said Apple with a gasp.

"I should be going," said Cupid suddenly. She was wringing her hands together. "I'll see you around Apple. It was nice meeting you Angel. I'll see about getting you Nepheria's number."

Angel nodded and Cupid beat a hasty retreat.

Apple sighed. She couldn't really blame Cupid for not understanding the gravity of the situation. The monster hadn't been brought up as a fairy tale character, she just didn't understand what rejecting their destinies would do to their fairy tale lives.

"Is there anything you can do?" asked Apple. Angel shook her head.

_I only have the authority to make sure the evil characters are being treated right. They are choosing to be Rebels, they're not being pressured into it. Maybe the city will send someone else to help them see the light,_ wrote Angel quickly.

"Why not just tell you to do it?" asked Apple. Angel shook her head.

_I'm a new story, and they're pretty sure my story got screwed up along the way. I am not a good role model for these troubled Rebels_, wrote Angel. Apple sighed in disappointment. Then her breath caught as fear filled her again. A hand touched her shoulder and Apple looked to see Angel looking at her in worry. The feathered girl tapped her mirrorpad. _Hey, are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help?_

"I'm scared, but I don't think there's anything..." Apple's voice caught, and then something clicked in her head and she snapped up her head and met Angel's sapphire eyes. "Actually, I think there is something you can do."


	2. Rebel

Chapter Two: The Rebel

It was ungodly early in the morning, but the birds were singing, and the sun was reflecting into her eyes from Apples side of the room. Raven sighed and pushed her comforter off her body, giving up on getting anymore sleep. She glared at the sparkly jewel that through rainbows all over the room. No matter where Raven moved she couldn't get the bright lights out of her eyes. The only way to do so would have been to suffocate herself under hers pillow or comforter.

So Raven swung her legs out of bed, and stepped into bird poop. She knew it was poop without looking because the windows were open, and Apple had been singing in that morning. So that meant that the flying rats had gotten in again. Really, most of the sensible birds liked Raven. A couple would even come when she sang but doves and pigeons hated Raven, and the feeling was mutual.

Raven quickly went to wash off her feet. There were some rumors that back in her mother's day that the foundation of makeup had been made of bird poop, but Raven found the stuff disgusting and refused to let it stick on her any longer than need be.

When Raven got back to the room, the first thing she saw was her "evil" dress. Raven sighed. Her mother had sent it to her, well, Raven thought it was her mother at least. The Rebel sighed and went for her spell book. While Raven couldn't do any spells that helped others or were in any way were considered good, she could do spells that benefitted herself. The more selfish and destructive, the better. So Raven opened up the old, dusty book. It had notes in almost all of the pages. The book was called The All Encompassing Guide to Hexes and Poisons by Blair Wicca. It was written by the oldest ghost of the land who started out life as a good witch and turned bad her last few years, her mind corroded by the first spell in her book. The book was huge, and Raven had learned to read from it. All the notes inside were Raven's.

Raven was not proud of owning this book. It was bad enough that she was forced to take all classes centered on making her evil and all her school books were evil, but even the book she read the most was evil.

But could not deny that she needed the book. While Raven's mother would never hex or poison Raven's clothes, Raven wasn't sure if her mother would actually remember that today was Legacy Day to send her the dress. While Raven's mother always encouraged her to do what her teachers told her to do, and to not be so sensitive about people not liking her because she was evil, Raven wasn't sure that her mother even knew what kind of school she had sent her daughter to. It seemed like the only reason she had gone to Ever After High was because the Empress of Evil's daughter had been disbarred for refusing to wait to put Briar under a spell until after she finished high school. The two women had the worst rivalry. It got Raven in trouble time and time again.

Still, maybe a servant had reminded the Evil Queen it was an important day for Raven and her mother had a spell between fighting and backstabbing the other evil rulers banished to Poison Village to get the dress. Usually when the Evil Queen had a moment to herself, her mother was too wracked with pain from her feet to remember Raven. Really, sometimes it seemed like fighting all the other evil rulers was what kept her mother's mind off the pain and alive.

So Raven took her dress and hung it in the darkest part of the room when she had gotten it. It would have been best to run these spells during the night, but Raven had wanted to go to Briar's party, and she had returned to her room the same time as Apple. Raven hadn't wanted to do these spells with Apple in the room. Raven's magic had a bad habit of backfiring and targeting Apple in small nasty ways when the future Snow White was in the room.

Raven's stomach growled loudly. She paused in her last spell, and almost got it wrong. Thankfully, everything appeared to be alright. No poisons or malevolent spells worked into the seams of the elaborate dress. Raven sighed. The Headmaster had been giving her a lot of grief over her hesitation to take on her mother's destiny. Perhaps by wearing this dress, Raven would ease his mind.

For the time being, Raven stored away her dress and went to wear something more simple so she could get something to eat without worrying about ruining her dress.

The dress she slipped on wasn't her best, but then again, she would be changing later, and she was starving.

"Hello Raven, are you ready to get something to eat?" asked Mattie, showing up just in the nick of time. Lizzie was with her, looking bored beyond all belief.

"Just let me touch up my makeup," said Raven.

"Oh, silly, you're starving. Here let me help," said Madeline. She clenched her right hand in a fist and then blew. Colorful dust settled on Raven's face and made her sneeze.

Madeline started giggling anew, and Lizzie was looking at her hands like there used to be something in them. Raven had a feeling she had just sneezed it out of existence. Lizzie then looked up, her eyes narrowing at Raven before she looked sharply over at Madeline.

"Off with your head!" Lizzie screeched, pointing at Madeline, who only giggled and grabbed a cup of tea from thin air. Lizzie turned to Raven then and pointed at her. "And you. Fix you're makeup quickly, or I'll have your head chopped off too!"

Raven quickly retreated back to her room. She left the door open for her friends to come in if they wanted and went to her mirror. She sighed and ran her finger against her face. To call what Madeline had put on her face clown makeup would be putting it lightly. It was nice of Lizzie to tell her. Usually it was too hard on Lizzie to concentrate on anything that wasn't her plants or her cards.

Taking off the makeup took time, but thankfully Madeline had visited Raven enough that she knew where Raven stuff was and she actually helped get what Raven needed to get the junk off fast. Then Raven put on a little mascara, blush, purple lipstick, and purple eye shadow.

"Come on Raven. It's already noon, and I'm hungry. Tea time just isn't filling," said Madeline. Raven looked shocked.

"It's already so late?" she asked. Lizzie lost her temper and started shouting about chopping off heads. Madeline just started laughing and following her out.

"You should see her in the morning," whispered Madeline, looking over at Lizzie. "She can be just as distracting and noisy as the narrators. Really, I would have loved to have you as a roommate. Lizzie is crazy-tastic, but she's also very loud, and it's always weird to have two characters from the same story rooming together. It's just so overwhelming. But you know all about that."

"Yeah, I do, but at least you and Lizzie are on the same side... right?" said Raven. Even though Raven had been friends with Madeline all these years, ever since high school started and the crazy blue haired girl was the only one who would talk to her, Raven had never gotten a handle on what happened in the original Wonderland. Raven didn't even understand how it worked there now, though all the characters that came from that village, and even the surrounding towns, were a little crazy.

"Um, well, Wonderland isn't that cut and dry," said Madeline and then she shrugged. "She orders my head cut off, I think, but she orders everyone's head off. I don't think she hates me. It's nothing personal. Actually, it means she's paying attention if she orders me to have my head chopped off."

"Oh," said Raven. Maybe Wonderland was a little crazy, but Raven had always assumed that there was a balance of good and evil there. But now that she thought about it, Raven didn't remember any character who seemed to be just good or evil in Wonderland. The writings describe people who were more of a mix. Like Madeline, Lizzie wasn't supposed to be evil, just really confusing and very rude. At least, that's how Raven understood it.

The cafeteria was crowded. Raven headed over to the top floor with her tray where the rest of seniors ate. Raven sat down with Madeline and Lizzie. Kitty arrived a few seconds later, and Raven wondered if there was some way she could become a part of the Wonderland story. Raven seemed to be slowly becoming friends with everyone but Helena, but seeing as Helena was supposed to be the sane one, Raven could understand.

Still, Apple was conspicuously missing. It would be one thing if the rest of the future Snow White's friends were absent, but Briar was falling asleep over her salad, Blondie was doing an on the go version of her show, and Daring was looking forlorn as Duchess chatted at him. Raven had always found the dynamic between Duchess and Daring fascinating. Daring could be rude in his own oblivious way, but at heart he was a nice enough guy. If there was any proof of that, it was how he treated Duchess. He made it very clear that he wasn't interested in her and constantly turned her down, but he did so gently and without malice, always looking sad to break her heart. She persisted and instead of tearing her down, he still put up with her and kept boundaries.

Actually, it was sort of funny. Daring loved being the center of attention. When Raven was in a slump, she found herself thinking that the only reason he dated Apple was to make sure he was always had the spotlight on him, even if the light was a bit second hand. But no. While Daring was obsessed with himself, but he never seemed to think of any girl with affectionate love but Apple. That didn't mean he wasn't a gentleman to every lady who showed him interest. But he was more affectionate to Apples needs and wants in their relationship.

"Raven Queen, please come to the Headmaster's office," said a drowning voice over the intercom. Raven sighed and grabbed her tray, glad that Madeline wasn't following behind her. While she got rid of the tray, she kept the sandwich. It might not look good and to walk and eat, but wasting food and getting sick because you didn't eat enough was embarrassing. Leading to all sorts of imirrior pictures getting shared through the school.

Raven paused before the Headmaster's door. She finished up her sandwich and smoothed out her dress. She looked down at what she was currently wearing. The dress had a little bit of light pink in it, and there was some white on the lace in the skirt. The Headmaster had become critical of everything she did to the point he critiqued her clothing choice. It wasn't like he didn't act nice to her ever, but he only did that when she dressed or acted wicked in some way. Lace and pink were far from wicked clothing.

Raven hated him. He was trying to manipulate her into being evil, and it was so obvious that it was almost insulting. She hated him for making her feel hatred. Finally Raven swallowed the need to run, steeled her nerves so that no matter what, she would be a good person, and knocked on the door.

"Come in Miss Queen." Raven pushed open the door. The Headmaster was bent over some papers, his eyes and fingers flying over the pages. "I was just wondering if you were ready for tonight. I know you've been having some trouble accepting your role, and I just wanted to check that you were ready to do your part."

"It isn't just about doing my part," said Raven through gritted teeth. She slowly took a long breath in and then let it out. It wouldn't be good if she lost her temper so soon while talking to the Headmaster. "I don't want to be my mother. I think I could be a wonderful person if I was just given the chance."

The Headmaster sighed, putting so much disappointed emphasis in the sigh that Raven just had to roll her eyes. "I see you still are having some problems Raven. I really wish you could have brought up this problem to us before this year. Trying to help you deal with this problem so close to Legacy Day is just... but we won't give up on you. I believe in you Raven. You have an important part in the kingdom, and I am sure that you will live up to your destiny with great results."

"I don't think this is a problem," said Raven carefully. "My wanting my own life is not a problem. Wanting to be a better person than my mother is not wrong. I should want to be a good person. It should be my choice."

The Headmaster sighed again. "I want you to meet the evil representative your village sent to us to make sure we are doing right by their evil prodigies. Here, let me give her a ring. We want to make sure that we are doing everything for our students, and if that means letting in an unsanctioned evil character, than we are welcome to her talking to you and helping you get on the right path."

"You mean the wrong path," said Raven.

"That's the spirit," said the Headmaster and then tapped his mirrorpad a couple of times. "She allowed us to put a tracker on her while she's on school grounds. It looks like she's in the gardens right now heading out toward the gazebo in the woods. I wonder how she got all the way out there."

Raven stood and headed out the door.

"You're heading to see her right?" asked the Headmaster.

"Yes," said Raven with a sigh her hand on the doorknob.

"Great, I am so happy to hear you are taking an active interest in relieving your anxieties about your destiny," said the Headmaster cheerfully. Raven just sighed again and quickly walked out of the room before she did something stupid. At least the Headmaster was intent on getting her to talk to this evil character that he hadn't really looked at her clothing. It was weird to have a guy critique what she wore. Especially when he measured how evil her clothing looked with how evil she was on the inside. It was extraordinarily superficial, and Raven was starting to wonder how the Headmaster had gotten his job.

Raven wandered out into the woods and walked her way down the garden path. She checked her phone and saw that it was almost one thirty. She really needed to start getting ready for Legacy Day and really thinking about what she was going to do. Talking to this evil person was not going to help. No matter what stance the character took.

When Raven reached the gazebo, she spun around once and saw no one. There, she tried to find this person wishing she had thought to ask the Headmaster for a description or name. It wasn't her fault she couldn't find the evil representative. Raven sighed and made to leave when she heard Apple's high pitch giggle. Fear gripped Raven, but she shook her head before turning to see the other girl. Apple would not be stupid enough to hangout around someone who had already done and embraced their evil destiny.

Raven turned and felt the blood drain from her face.

"What are you doing here?" shouted Raven, running to get Apple away from the psychopath. Raven would recognize that fluffy white hair anywhere. Angel might have moved in only a couple of years ago, but she already made her mark on Poison Village.

Angel just smirked evilly at Raven and lifted her pad. _Hello Raven_. The other teen might be mute, but Angel had a way of getting her contempt across.

"Apple get away from her," said Raven, grabbed Apple's arm and dragging the stupid princess away from the character that had screwed up her own story so badly that she had become the evil character.

"You know each other?" asked Apple. Raven sent her a quick glare, but then it hit her that perhaps Apple was so dense she hadn't realized she was hanging around an evil character.

_We're neighbors_, wrote Angel. That was thing about Angel. She kept things close to the chest, but once you found out something about her, she admitted it with no hesitation and acted like it wasn't a big deal. No matter what the discovery hinted at.

"What are you doing here Angel? I didn't think they'd let you out of Poison Village after what they found out you did," snapped Raven. There was no way that Angel should be allowed out of the village after what they found out she did to not only her husband but to her twin sons.

_Allegedly_, Angel wrote with a mocking air. Raven felt her body tensing. She could not believe the nerve of Angel. If anyone deserved to be stuck in an evil town with the Evil Queen it was Angel. Finally Angel pretended to give into Raven's anger. _I'm here for the same reason Petal is here for the students pledging their life to a good part in a story. I'm here to make sure that none of the good characters try anything to any of you swearing to be evil._

"Fine, then hang out around the ones of us that are evil. Leave Apple and girls like her alone. She doesn't know your real nature. She doesn't get what evil really is," hissed Raven. Angel suppressed a laugh and Raven felt her blood boil. If there was ever a time when doing an evil act might be considered good, it would be in getting Angel off this earth.

Angel finally nodded in mocking but real surrender. _I'll go get ready for tonight then_. Angel wrote for Raven. Then Angel very purposefully turned to Apple as she wrote her next message. Now Raven knew Angel was trying to corrupt Apple. _It was good to meet you Apple. Thank you for the tour. _

"You're welcome," said Apple with a song. "Really Raven, what was that all about?" Raven started to pull the stupid princess away. She could not believe that Apple couldn't see through Angel to the evil inside. Then again, Apple was supposed to be the stupid, perfect heroine who took a poisoned apple from a suspicious old woman.

When they were almost at the castle, Apple got her arm free and stood as if confronting Raven. She really wasn't built to be intimidating. "What is your problem Raven?" Apple stomped her foot on the ground in a tantrum.

"My problem? I wasn't the one showing around a dangerous harpy." Raven found that she was almost shouting at Apple. She tried to reel in her anger. She didn't want to hurt Apple. Apple had just made her so scared.

"She didn't do anything to me Raven. She's just as dangerous as you are," said Apple. Raven felt the evil need to strangle Apple, but it would be pointless to kill Apple right after saving her. Even if by killing her, Raven would be saving the future Snow White from her own stupidity. Raven tried to remind herself that Apple just didn't really understand what it was to be evil. She thought it was little things like breaking a mirror or killing or poisoning characters that never stayed dead. Angel had killed and done evil that had not ended in a greater understanding or any kind of happy ending.

"No, I want to be good. Angel, I can't even begin to describe what she did to her..." said Raven, trying to explain the situation to Apple, but she tripped over and could not make herself say what Angel had done. Poisoning and murder, those things were easy for Raven to swallow. She didn't know how many dead bodies she'd come across as a child, or how many food taster had ended up dead eating her food. But what Angel had done... the mute deserved to be burned at the stake. "You shouldn't be that reckless. Just because you have a happy ending in your story doesn't mean that if you get mixed up with the wrong evil that you won't end up more briefly poisoned. Angel isn't bound by our rules. She didn't have to promise like the rest of us to not do evil while in school."

"Well of course she swore. I met her when she was coming out of the Headmaster's office," said Apple with a roll of her eyes. Raven bit back a scream. Why was her roommate so dense? "And Angel didn't seem that bad."

"You don't know what she did," hissed Raven. "And if you say allegedly I will hurt you. She did it, they just can't prove it."

"What did she do?" asked Apple, obviously getting fed up with Raven just hinting at the problem. Raven understood. It would be easier and clearer if Raven just said. But she still didn't know how to tell Apple. Raven just couldn't force herself to say it. What Angel had done was poisonous and upsetting even thinking about. Raven couldn't believe that the Headmaster let such a dangerous character into their school. What was he thinking?

Then Raven remembered; the evil character in the garden, the Headmaster had hinted he let her in to talk to Raven. That meant that the Headmaster was pressuring Raven to become more like Angel. Raven felt bile rise to the top of her throat and she quickly sprinted away from Apple. Thankfully the princess didn't notice seeing as she was already absorbed with her friends.

A cool hand rubbed Raven's back and held her hair out of her face.

"Thank you Maddie," said Raven. She leaned back and let Maddie help her stand up. Maddie's smile was twisted with worry. Raven forced herself to give Maddie a shakey smile.

"Come on Raven, let's get you freshened up. I've gotten some of our friends together to get ready for Legacy Day tonight," said Maddie, her cheerful soft.

"Who could you possibly have gotten who wanted to get ready with the future Evil Queen?" asked Raven with a roll of her eyes.

"Other evil characters like Icy, Saba, and Blue," said Maddie, ticking off names on her gloves. Raven looked over at her friend in shock. Not believing for a second the thing about 'friends.'

"Blue? I didn't realize she's following in her father's footsteps. Though, I guess, I wouldn't know if it would be worse to marry a guy who killed and kept his wives bodies on hooks as trophies or being the person who did that," said Raven, then covered her mouth. Why would she say something like that? And why was it so easy to say that and not what Angel had done to her family?

"Oh, she's still following in her mother's footsteps. Mostly she's worried about her brother. He just started Ever After High this year," said Maddie. Raven nodded in understanding. It seemed like no matter what she did, she was destined to end up hanging out with evil characters who did horrible things or were at least destined to: which was the same thing really in this school.

"Hey Raven, if you like, I could not follow in my dad's footsteps. It's not like I love tea time," said Maddie, coming to stand in front Raven and looking very supportive and serious. Raven rolled her eyes.

"You love tea time," Raven said, pushing past her friend. She didn't have time for a heart to heart with Madeline. She needed to give herself a wash and then she needed to change into her clothes and hang around the few evil characters that Raven had been avoiding for the last three years. Apple had already slipped away to join her happy group.

"Oh yeah, but I totally want to support you. The negative Nancy's have been invading your mind and the Narrators have been arguing in your head. I can renounce my destiny if you want. Both Lizzie and I are going before you, and Lizzie loves being queen so she won't hear to renounce it. I will be the birthday girl who does renounce it," said Maddie. Raven shook her head.

"Maddie, do you want to renounce your destiny?" asked Raven. Maddie nodded, and then shook her head, and then nodded again, and then smiled like Kitty. "I want you to be true to yourself. I want to be true to myself. The truth is, I can't imagine you being anyone else."

Madeline frowned and put her fists on her hips. "Are you telling me who to be now Headmistress?"

Raven blushed.

"Oh, don't be silly. Yeah, I'm happy with my destiny, now at least. But there's always a part of me that can't help but wonder what it would be like to have hot chocolate, or go crazy and have some coffee, instead of tea. And instead of celebrating unbirthdays, I could celebrate birthdays. That way I could have cakes and cookies instead of scones and cupcakes. Those are completely different things don't you know?" demanded Maddie. Then her clock rang. "Tea time! Finally."

As Maddie took out a tea set including the mini chair and table and started to talk to her little mouse friend. Raven rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile as she went to her room. Madeline had this way of throwing Raven off balance. Raven washed up, the makeup slipping down her face. The shower help calm her down and warm her up.

They made a little party of getting ready. Raven smiled at all the other evil characters, but realized that a couple in the small crowd were neutral characters and that Cedar eventually joined them along with Hunter. Raven let Icy secure her coif to her head, and then helped the future Snow Queen not only fit on her crown, but also secure what looked like ice drops in her black hair.

It was a weird situation. Raven had avoided other evil characters before today. At least at school, and at home as well as possible. Raven hadn't wanted to expose herself to evil characters, and her wish to be better than her mother, tended to alienate her from the rest of them apparently they thought she was 'acting better than them'. That was why Raven had no one to hang out with. That was how Raven had ended up paired with Icy. Icy tended to dress oddly, and at the end of the day look like she'd been through a blizzard despite the fact she had her nose shoved in a book most of the time. Not running around. When Icy had come over to Raven, who had been trying to figure out how to put the coif on, she had sat Raven down and started doing her hair. The only thing Icy said was how to do her hair in exchange.

Now Cedar was helping Raven finish Icy's hair. Icy was staring into nothing, and Hunter had come in now that all the girls were decent. Raven had always wondered what destiny Hunter was following. His father had been a minor part in two stories. He had been commanded to kill Snow White and hadn't been able to, and then he had saved Red Riding Hood from the wolf. Was Hunter expected to be in both stories? Or did he have a sibling who would do the one Hunter didn't?

By the time they needed to head to the cafeteria, they were all ready to go, and Raven wasn't sure what to make of their group. Some of the evil characters embraced their destiny with open arms, but others just didn't seem to care. Like Icy, they were just going through the motions and trying to make the best of it. Still others, like Cedar, had no interest in being their parent's story. Cedar seemed to be having some trouble figuring out how she was supposed to do so many stupid and irresponsible things when she hated doing anything against authority figures and was quick to agree to punishments when she thought she deserved them. She seemed to think that carrying out her doting was a punishment in itself.

The sun was just beginning to set when they were led to the courtyard. It had been remade so that thousands of people packed the area and a huge stage had been erected and four mirrors were floating and ready to catch the expression of the characters as they pledge their lives away. As Raven swore she would commit and evil deed, and because she did, have her feet bound in metal shoes and forced to dance until she died. Though Raven did have her mother to tell her the best ways to keep dancing without it killing her, and the metal would eventually become cool even if the spell to kill of exhaustion would drive her a bit mad.

The students to pledge were lined up in the front rows facing the stage, and they would slowly move forward until it was their turn. Raven watched as person after person swore away their life with a pledge sealed with the turning of a key. Half the class had already gone and not one person seemed to share Raven's misgivings on blindly accepting their destiny. Raven had a little hope when Lizzie went up that something would happen, but Raven should have known better. Lizzie had no misgivings about her destiny.

Finally, it was Apple's turn, and Raven found herself beginning the assent up the steps so she could swear away her future. The crowd went wild, probably over just seeing Apple, and the prospect of what their new queen could mean to them. Raven accepted her key and started her journey to the podium and the book that would seal her fate. She saw Apple happily skipping her way. But then Apple seemed to see something behind Raven and she stood off to the side. Raven glanced quickly behind her and saw that the Headmaster was following her onto the stage.

With the two flanking her, pressuring her to follow her so called destiny, Raven knew she only had one choice. Plus, how would she seize her own destiny? Would she throw her key into the audience? She already had on all the sharp clothes, and when she looked out into the crowd she heard no cheers like Apple had gotten, just felt the fearful stares of everyone she would one day hurt.

"I am Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen, and I pledge, I, um..." Raven felt her throat closing up again. To pledge her destiny away to do evil things was as impossible as telling innocent Apple what Angel did that was so terrible. But she had to do something. She had to make a stand one way or the other, and she had to do it now.

"Come on now," she heard Apple say. Raven could just imagine the expression on the future Snow White's face. Apple wanted Raven to try and kill her. Apple wanted to put hot shoes on her feet and send Raven away to live with evil people who would try again and again to kill her. Wasn't that evil? Apple wanted Raven to be like Angel. Raven refused to be another Angel. She wouldn't be able to stand herself if she actually hurt someone. Because people got hurt people did. Maybe not the main characters, but other ones would find their lives ruined and ended on Raven's supposed vanity.

No, Raven refused be that character by choice.

"I..." once she said this, there was no going back.

"I pledge to write my own story and be true to my real self," said Raven and then she turned the key in the lock of the book.

Suddenly Raven found herself covered in purple magic. Raven basked in its warmth, smiling because she suddenly felt free. Yes, this had been the right choice. For a moment she didn't feel like her magic could only do evil deeds and that the future was open to anything. Even if in the next second she turned to dust. Raven would never regret having a taste of freedom. It was worth it.

When the magic had floated away, Raven looked over the crowd. Everyone was looking at her in surprise, and Briar was running up the stairs toward the stage though not to strike or embrace Raven. Raven looked behind her. Maddie was smiling at her softly, but Apple seemed to have crumbled to the ground. Fear crept into Raven for a moment, afraid she had killed Apple with her refusal, but Briar checked her friend and was instantly gripped hard by Apple. The Headmaster looked up from where he was trying to counsel Apple. For a second Raven felt like the Evil Queen she had been told she was destined to be.

Then Raven turned and left the stage, her fists clenched at her side. It was like she couldn't be good. If she followed her mother's footsteps she made everyone miserable and was so evil that she was sentenced to suffer intense pain the rest of her life then she was doing the right thing. But if she rejected her destiny then she was evil because she destroyed Apple's Happily Ever After. It wasn't fair.

No, the expectations others put on her might not be fair, but then again, when had life ever been fair? Raven had been born to the Evil Queen as a sickly child who had little chance of surviving. Her father and stepfather were dead, and Raven's mother only kept her will to live by doing evil things to other evil people. Raven had been burned by her own clothes, had assassins make it all the way to her room before the guards found them, kidnapped, and poisoned. But Raven had lived, and she'd grown up hoping to better herself and help people. She hadn't let her past change who she was on the inside. Why should she let her destiny do it?

Raven hadn't let the evil in her life pervert her. She certainly wasn't going to let supposedly good people force her to be evil either. She had her own destiny to follow, and if characters like Apple really were good people, then they wouldn't need Raven to be evil in order for them to be good. Apple would just have to make her own happy ending. She was going to be queen because her mother was queen, and she was going to get her Prince Charming because she was already unofficially dating him. Maybe she wouldn't have her mother's fairy tale story, but that didn't mean Apple couldn't write her own story. Just like Raven was going to.

"Good job Raven," said Maddie. Raven turned to her friend and then looked up at the podium in shock as Cedar swore to follow her own path. Character after character started to seize their own destinies, repeating Raven's own words. Not everyone, but enough to make Raven feel like, for the first time, that she wasn't alone in the world. Others felt like her.

"Thank you," said Ashlynn quietly. Raven looked at her in shock before nodding to Cedar in understanding. "We're having a party at my room tonight. All us Rebels and those that support us. You'll be there right?"

Raven felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment. "Yes."

A thousand times yes. For the first time in years Raven felt like her life was on the right path. She had taken a hold of her life and now she was the writer of her own destiny.


	3. Royal 2

Chapter Three: The Royal

_You sure about this?_ Wrote Angel as Apple led the other girl to the room the future Snow White shared with Raven. Apple nodded, though she was unable to look over at the evil character and her stomach had started to twist itself into knots.

But no, Apple knew she was doing the right thing. Plus, it wasn't like she was doing anything wrong. Angel was a known evil character and there were bound to be problems and consequences to letting her on the grounds of the school. And Apple was just doing the responsible thing by using an evil character to a good end.

Once Apple had given herself a second to really think about it, and got over the initial sense of betrayal she had felt over Ashlynn's choice to be a Rebel, she realized why the future Cinderella might have turned rebel. Like most characters, Ashlynn's story dictated that her mother and father die, while Apple was sure that didn't actually have to happen and for them it would be a more symbolic thing, she understood Ashlynn's fear. So Apple had asked Angel if there was any way she could get Ashlynn's story going without her losing her parents. Angel had said yes, that she even knew the children of the wicked stepsisters and could probably work it so that Ashlynn's story started right away. Ashlynn would get her happy ending without her parents' death.

"This needs to happen," said Apple with conviction. "Once the Rebels see that the stories are going ahead like normal, they'll realize what their destinies are and not be scared by then."

_With a little push from you_, wrote Angel. Apple felt a little uncomfortable at that.

"But you're the one who's being her evil um," Apple wasn't sure what Angel was. Was she a witch? Raven had called Angel a harpy, but Angel didn't have any wings or claws.

Apple glanced over at Angel to see the other teen smiling almost serenely. Apple was starting to think that Raven was right about how dangerous Angel was. When Apple had asked her to make sure Ashlynn's story happened. Angel had looked shocked for a moment, and then her gaze had become distant. Apple actually started to doubt her idea. Was she actually asking someone evil to do some act against her friend? Was this a mistake?

But then Angel had nodded and said that while it might take some time for her to get everything in order, she could do it. The only thing Angel asked in exchange was that she could take something from Apple's dorm room. The price seemed reasonable, and Apple needed her friend to get her happily ever after, so she had agreed and started leading Angel toward her room. It would be okay. Angel already had her story and nothing could be worse than Ashlynn turning to dust.

The closer they got to her room, however, the more nervous Apple felt. Angel wasn't what Apple had expected an evil person to be. Well, obviously or Apple would have spotted the evil character for what she was that morning. At least Angel almost looked the part of an evil character with the stark contrast of white and black to the outfit she now wore.

Still, Angel smiled and acted kindly. Apple expected that from Raven, the future Evil Queen was confused about who she needed to be. But real evil characters should smirk, and glare, they should ooze evil from any smile and their eyes should be filled with the lust of power. Angel's smile sometimes took on a mischievous edge, and she was rather unabashed about being found out as evil, but her expression was open and her demeanor delicate. Even now, when she was planning on how to ruin a good girl's life, she just looked around her surroundings in open curiosity as if her mind were filled with thoughts of fluffy animals and helping friends.

It was actually really creepy.

"So, um, Raven couldn't quite tell me why you were evil," said Apple. "You said you were in an original story right?"

_Sorta. I wasn't the daughter of a story book character, but I was acting out a story that had repeated sporadically through past Once Upon a Time's_, wrote Angle. Apple read it, confusion rolling over her. What did Angel mean that she was in a story that repeated? At least the Evil Queen had gone on her rampage. That was only possible with the children of the characters that already were a part of the story. That was why Ever After High had been started by Headmaster Grimm. The stories needed to happen, and the children of the fairytale creatures before them needed to swear that they would act out their destinies. Otherwise there would be no more happily ever afters or stories again. _Is this your room?_

"Yes, right, let me just get my key," said Apple. She reached into her purse and got her dorm key. For a moment she felt her chest tighten as she remembered the fiasco that night, but she beat it back. She, Apple White, was going to fix this. She was going to be the next Snow White and Ashlynn was going to be the next Cinderella.

The door creaked open and Angel bowed, signaling to Apple that she should go in her room first. Once again, a stab of fear twisted in Apple's heart, but she reminded herself that Angel was under oath that while the evil character was on the grounds of the school she wouldn't do any evil.

The room was dark, but Apple found the light switch and soon her side of the room was as bright and cheerful as ever. Apple skipped in, breathing in the calming scent of the perfume she sprayed on her side of the room. The smell reminded her of home.

When Apple turned around, she saw that Angel had moved to Raven's side of the room. Apple felt her heart beat a little faster when she realized that Angel was going through Raven's things. Apple had thought that Angel would take something from her, not Raven. The future Snow White remembered that Angel had written that they were neighbors. Maybe Angel was trying to use something against Raven. Evil characters probably weren't nice to each other in the Poison Village. There were no nice people to go after in Poison Village, that was the point.

But Apple didn't say anything. Angel had asked to take one thing from Apple's dorm room. Apple should have listened to Raven and remembered that dealing with Angel was dealing with an evil character. Apple's mother had always warned that evil characters had this way of twisting words and making agreements that they then found loopholes in, and some plan that had appeared innocent then became sinister with just a simple twist of words.

While Angel strolled through the dark half of Apple's room, she cast a quick glance Apple's way. Angel seemed almost shocked to see that Apple was watching her so intently. Angel smiled and strolled across and wrote something on her pad.

_Are you okay?_ wrote Angel. Apple tensed and shrugged. _Do you want to call off the trade? I would understand. _

"No," said Apple. Angel had already been in the room. Apple had gone too far to go back on this. Angel stared at her, actually looking concerned. Finally she sighed and went over to Raven's side and plucked a hairbrush from the bureau.

_Will it be too much trouble if I take the brush_? asked Angel. Apple shook her head. She really wanted to know what Angel planned on doing with the brush, but she didn't dare ask. _May I ask a question?_

"Yes, of course," said Apple, forcing herself to smile. She was a queen. She had to be diplomatic. Apple dealt with Raven every day. The only difference between Raven and Angel was that Angel accepted that she was evil.

_You have blonde hair. Are you really Snow White's daughter? _asked Angel. Apple found herself blushing down to her roots. She twisted her hands together nervously. She hated this question. Her hair was the one thing that didn't fit the stories. Apple had once dyed her hair black, but Briar had said it made her look like an evil queen, and she looked horrible in black.

"All my ancestors had blonde hair. The only reason my mom's was black was because of the prophesy or whatever. So yeah, I'm blonde, but that doesn't mean I can't be Snow White," said Apple, her voice becoming louder as she talked. Angel backed up, hands up as if she was disarmed. "Sorry, it's touchy subject. Anyway, are you going to..?"

Apple cut off from saying more when two chapped lips brushed up against hers. Apple gasped and put her gloves over her mouth. She had been saving that kiss for when her prince charming would kiss her awake. True love's first kiss and all of that. Though, did it count when it was a girl that kissed her? Apple had given and gotten a few kisses from her girlfriends, but they were always cheek or air kisses.

"Why did you do that?" said Apple, her hands still covering her mouth as she watched Angel carefully. Angel lifted her pad and tapped the screen.

_The deal is sealed_, the note said. Apple let out a sigh of relief, her hands falling from her mouth. Of course, that kiss didn't count because it was a deal sealer. A lot of fairy tale creatures and people used this as a viable way to seal deals.

"Why didn't you just seal it with magic?" said Apple with a roll of her eyes.

_I have no magic of my own_. _That's why I carry around so many potions, _wrote Angel. She wandered over past Apple and ran her finger on Apple's mirror over her desk. She then turned around. Apple's eyes immediately looked to make sure that her brush was still in place, and sighed in relief when she saw it. She then smiled widely at Angel.

"But a kiss works fine?"

_It does when my lipstick is charged with magic_, wrote Angel. Apple had to physically stop herself from reaching up to touch her lips. If Angel had planned on poisoning or killing her, than there would have been better times and ways to go around doing it. _I should get going._

"Oh, yes, you must be so tired," said Apple, briskly walking over to Angel and holding her shoulder. "Come on, I'll walk you to your room."

Angel just shook her head and started writing again. _I'm leaving tonight._

"Oh, well, you have to get your stuff," said Apple. Angel's expression became almost regretful, and she started writing again.

_I packed light. My traveling clothes fit into my tot,_ the note said.

"But I can still escort you down to the gates," Apple insisted. Angel briefly squeezed Apple's shoulder.

_I thought I was making you uncomfortable_. Apple sighed.

"I'm not prejudice against evil characters. My roommate is evil after all," said Apple perkily. It felt like there were thorns squeezing around her heart.

_Not according to her_, Angel wrote. Apple gasped and then looked at ground. She felt tears entering her eyes. Angel was suddenly there. She had a musky smell and Apple found herself hugging Angel back besides her better judgment. Still, just because someone was an evil character, didn't mean she should immediately hate them and push them away. They were an important part of someone's story, even if it wasn't hers. _I'm sorry. I didn't mean to press any buttons. _

"It's alright. I'm working to make it all better again," said Apple. The future queen then smiled up at Angel. Angel nodded in agreement and then headed to the window. Apple gasped and followed her. The blonde found herself wishing that Angel wouldn't leave. It was strange. Angel might be evil, but Apple couldn't help but find herself drawn to the other teen. "I'll see you at graduation right?"

Angel smiled and gave Apple a quick kiss on the cheek. Then she walked back toward the window. Suddenly the outer dress Angel was wearing fluttered and spread wide. Apple gasped and her hands sprang to cover her mouth. Angel had wings. That must have been why Raven called her a harpy. The evil teen tossed herself out the window and then glided down to the ground. When she landed she turned back and waved up at Apple. Apple waved back.

Apple yawned. It had been a long day. There was music playing somewhere in the castle, but while Apple had pledge her life to her story, there was still a chance she could disappear and never get her happily ever after. But as soon as Raven got back on the right path, then Apple would get Briar to throw the biggest party of the century.

Until then, Apple would wait and plan. She would make sure that her land was taken care of. It was clear that Raven's dangerous ideas were getting everyone in trouble.

As Apple turned to get her nightgown out of her bureau. She paused, one lone, white feather was on the floor. Apple bent and picked it up. Apple stared at the white feather and then the feathered started to shake uncontrollably. What was going on, was it some sort of evil spell? A water drop fell onto the feather, and Apple realized that she was crying again. Apple wiped at her face angrily.

No more crying. Apple had had enough breakdowns for one day. This was supposed to be the happiest day ever. And one day it would be. One day Apple would look back on this day and see just how far and how much she had accomplished in so little time.

The covers felt nice against Apple's skin as she slipped under the silky covers. It wasn't long before she had drifted asleep, Angel's white feather clasped in her hands.

When Apple woke up it was with the sunrise. Apple pushed herself up, her bones creaking as she did so. The future queen blinked the sleep from her eyes and tried to remember why there might be a huge white feather crushed under her hands in her bed.

With a quick roll, Apple was out of bed and speed walking to her desk. She quickly hid the feather away. Raven would be angry with her if she saw the feather, and Apple needed to be able to get on Raven's good side. She would become Raven's best friend. It wasn't enough that Apple had been nice enough to converse with her and request her as a roommate and even did up her side of the room. That clearly wasn't enough. Raven was feeling neglected, and Apple was now going to make sure that Raven knew just how much it meant to Apple that the other girl follow her destiny and even how much it would mean to Raven in the end.

Apple sang and the birds all sang back to her song. Apple smiled and opened her arms to let the sun soak into her. Raven groaned and Apple giggled and rolled her eyes. Usually she would respect Raven's decision to sleep in and miss classes. That was a very basic evil thing to do. Detention actually split between the evil characters who had been late to class and caused excess trouble, and those characters of good standing who had to help some forlorn soul on their way to class.

But Apple needed Raven in classes so the other girl would learn to be evil. And anyway, no matter how late Raven woke up, it always seemed like she was able to make it to her first class in the nick of time.

A general feeling of foreboding tried to overwhelm Apple as she walked over to Raven's side of the room. Seeing as Raven was evil, the foreboding feeling made sense, but Apple was afraid it was something else twisting her guts.

When Apple touched Raven the other teen grumbled and turned away. Apple wondered when Raven had come back from the party the night before. The evil queen to be had been so quiet that Apple had slept through her coming back. Which was totally wrong. Raven wasn't supposed to act like a conscientious roommate. Raven was supposed to be ill-mannered and Apple was supposed to be the cheerfully put upon good princess.

It had all been wrong, since the beginning everything had been wrong. Apple hadn't really paid enough attention to Raven to see that something had gone wrong. That Raven's mother hadn't been there for the future evil queen like she should have been, and because of this Raven hadn't grown up with enough evil in her heart. Someone should have realized that Raven was questioning her path before this. They had all neglected Raven. Apple might have the best excuse: she was the good princess who got rescued. She had always said something nice to Raven, but that was because she was just a nice person to everyone despite what was going on.

Still, Raven was an important fixture in her story, and if anyone deserved Apple's attention, then it was the person who, in her own special way, led to the future queen's happily ever after.

Raven needed Apple's guidance. Apple had been told by the Headmaster to help Raven, but Apple had gotten so absorbed in Legacy Day and working with Maddie as Co-Presidents, that Apple had only done the minimum to convince Raven of what she needed to do.

"Wake up Raven," sang Apple. Raven groaned and said a mild swear as she tried to burry herself in the covers. Apple just smiled. She might be a wonderful, naive, and innocent princess, that did not mean she was an idiot. Apple knew that Raven hated to hear Apple sing. Maybe it was because Raven couldn't sing herself. Apple had only heard the other teen try a couple of times, but Raven had always been so soft that she had almost been impossible to hear. "Raven, only fifteen minutes to get ready and eat before class."

Suddenly Raven jumped out of bed and sprinted for her closest. Apple decided that her good deed was done and that she would get more occasions later to do nice things for Raven and to gain the other teens love and trust. At the moment, Raven would be too busy trying to primp for the day, and Apple knew from experience that Raven would not let Apple help her get ready for the day. When Raven was running late she had a certain routine she had worked out and any attempt by Apple to help would only trip the evil queen up and then Apple wouldn't see her roommate except in short bursts for the next week.

Apple threw her purse with all the books she needed for the day over her shoulder. Thankfully none of her teachers had assigned her homework for the day. Not even Rumpelstiltskin had.

"Hey, Apple, how are you doing girl?" asked Briar. Appearing from the air and handing over a banana.

"You are a lifesaver Briar," said Apple as she peeled the banana. "I'm starving."

"Yeah, I'm always really hungry when..." Briar trailed off and Apple decided the best course was to pretend that Briar hadn't said anything. "Anyway, you missed a killer party last night. Daring really missed you, but Blondie was able to distract Duchess. Everyone missed you."

"I just needed to think Briar. I realized that I've been neglected Raven, that's why all this happened," said Apple with conviction. Briar turned to her with a raise of her eyebrow.

"You do realize that most characters in school interact with their evil counterparts as little as possible? If anything, being so close together is kinda unheard of," said Briar. Apple eyebrows furrowed.

"But what else can I do?" asked Apple.

"You could annoy her into becoming evil," said Briar.

"What?" asked Apple.

"Not that you're annoying," assured Briar hastily. "But think about it. If you irritate and antagonize her than maybe she'll hate you enough that she'll want to poison you."

"Well, I don't know..." said Apple hesitantly. "What if I introduce her to other evil characters?"

"How is that going to help? A lot of the Rebels are characters who are supposed to be evil, and the rest are ones Raven has publically yelled at and rejected. Most of characters she had been hanging around when she wasn't off on her own are neutral characters like Madeline. But come on Apple, you really shouldn't be worrying about things like this. We have our entire lives to finish our stories. Now we need to live life to the fullest while we can. You really missed a stellar party last night, but no worry, I'm having one tonight to make up for the one you missed," said Briar. Apple rolled her eyes. Briar would come up with any excuse to throw a party.

As they got to class, the entire room went silent. All eyes turned to Briar and Apple. All put two. Apple felt her face turn red and she glared. Daring flinched, obviously thinking that the glare was meant for him. But Apple's irritation wasn't directed at him.

Before Apple went to confront Duchess, she regained her composure, taking in a deep calming breath before she went to confront the infuriating princess. Really Duchess could be so infuriating. How could she fawn over Daring the way she did? Daring already loved Apple. Duchess could only end up loving a prince who had never loved before. So why did she continue to go after Daring?

"Hello Duchess," said Apple. The teen jumped a little. The two girls that always flanked her, who Apple swore were the evil step sister's from Ashlynn's story, sniffed at Apple and tried to get in the future queen's way. But Apple had learned a lot from watching and studying her mother unobtrusive ways to get past people who blocked her way without being rude.

Apple slipped past Duchess's guards. Daring smiled at her, his eyes asking for forgiveness and thanking her for saving him. Apple gave him a lingering hug as she sat down and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Hello Apple, feeling better after you're breakdown yesterday?" taunted Duchess.

"Apple, mi'lady, I missed you last night," said Daring. "The party just wasn't the same without you by my side."

"Would you accompany me to Briar's party tonight?" asked Apple grandly, fluttering her eyelashes in an exaggerated fashion.

"My dear, I couldn't imagine doing anything else," said Daring gallantly, giving a fleeting kiss to the back of Apple's hand. Daring was the one who turned to Duchess then, and with a sincere smile he addressed there. "See, Duchess, I told you I already had a date tonight."

Apple glanced over to see Duchess turning a deep shade of red in her anger. It was almost comical to see the soon to be swan getting so angry that her shoulders tightened, her fists clenching into fists, and her face turning tomato red. Finally Duchess stomped her foot in irritation and left, her two minions following behind her. Really, Apple should have had Angel start Duchess's instead. Duchess acted like an evil queen more than Raven did. Apple didn't understand how Duchess was at the top of their class.

Miss North than came into the classroo. They were continuing on their lecture of home needing to be kept in the heart of all good characters and how it would help them through the tribulations. Apple ended up tuning her out and staring at her not boyfriend.

Daring was looking at his face and fixing his hair in his mirror. If there was one thing that Duchess did for Apple, it usually put Daring into the position of being romantic to her in order to get Duchess away. Daring just clung to Apple, being more physically romantic than he usually was sans the kisses. Daring even started speaking in verbose romantic speech.

It was odd. Apple always felt empty after they stopped acting overly affectionate. Sometimes Apple felt like they were accessories for each other. Daring wasn't so much her not boyfriend as the perfect prince she put on her arm to finish up her outfit and catch any light of popularity that she herself didn't already attract. And sometimes she felt like Daring only called her his not girlfriend because he was too nice to say otherwise, and he looked better, his own looks enhanced by her.

Apple knew that she was being paranoid. Daring wouldn't just put up with, that's what he did with Duchess and he was always upfront with her that he wasn't interested. Duchess just refused to listen to him. She even accused him from time to time of leading her on. Apple usually just felt sorry for the delusional girl.

"Hey Apple." The future queen jumped as a hand wrapped around her shoulder. She snapped her head to see Ashlynn. A frog seemed to jump down Apple's throat, first making it hard for Apple to breathe and then appearing to clog up her chest and make her breath seem hard to catch a breath. "Can we talk while going to Fairy Tales?"

"Um," Apple glanced over at Daring. He looked at his arm for a second and then looked down at where Apple was still sitting. He smiled at Apple and nodded at her as if he understood that she needed some private time to talk to Ashlynn and headed down the stairs and out the door. "Of course Ashlynn, I'd be thrilled. We haven't had much time to hang out one on one."

"I understand. I mean, you and Briar have always been Best Fairytale Friend, and this will be the last time you two will be able to hang out," said Ashlynn. "We'll have plenty of time to hang out if she falls asleep."

"If?" asked Apple. Briar suddenly went past the two down as if skateboarding over the desks. She let out a cry and ran face first into the floor. She was up in a moment and yelling at the top her lungs in triumph out of the door.

"Well, not if, I guess she did swear to sleep until her prince kisses her like her mother," said Ashlynn.

"But you didn't swear," said Apple, picking up her books. It wouldn't look good for The future Snow White to be late. She had to act like the queen she was soon to be, and queen's did not skip out or come late to their responsibilities.

"No," said Ashlynn with a sigh, clasping her books to her chest and making it a point not to look in Apple's direction. "Please understand Apple. It's not because I hate you or my mother. I did it because... if I walked my mother's path, I would never get my happily never after, not really."

"Why?" asked Apple, grabbing Ashlynn's arm and stopping her. Class and events were all good, and Apple should never skip or be late to one when she was queen, unless it was important. This was important. More important than classes. This was Ashlynn's destiny. If Ashlynn didn't get it together and follow her mother's path, than she would disappear. Apple wasn't losing her friend that way.

Ashlynn still refused to meet Apple's eyes. Even though she had stopped, Ashlynn looked off to the side and bit her lip.

"Is it because you think you're mother and father are going to die? That isn't true, my mother said they have this way of carrying out the fairy tales without hurting any of the parents of the main characters," said Apple. Ashlynn started shaking her head, and then she blew up, words pouring from her mouth.

"Then who am I supposed plant my branch over? Who am I supposed to pray and cry over? Am I just supposed to take someone's abuse with no questions asked?" asked Ashlynn. Apple couldn't find any words to say to the confused girl. "I'm in love with Hunter."

"What?" asked Apple, taking her friends' hand in her own. Ashlynn looked a little confused.

"You look happy for me," said Ashlynn with a breathy voice. Apple gave Ashlynn a hug.

"Of course I am," said Apple. "You're my friend Ashlynn, and I want you to be happy. I also don't want you to turn into dust."

Ashlynn smiled uncertainly. It was obvious she still had things to say, but was holding back.

"Anyway, we need to get to class. You'll be there at Briar's party tonight, right? I missed the one last night," said Apple. Ashlynn looked guilty for a second before nodding.

"I got this killer inventory just today. How about we go and pick some shoes out after class?" asked Ashlynn. Apple giggled.

"That sounds wonderful. You mind if I tell the girl's about it?" asked Apple.

"Not at all. We'll of course have to wear what we're going to wear to the party," she said, starting to walk toward the classroom. The second bell rang, signaling that they should already be in class, but Apple knew it had been worth it. Yes, Ashlynn's choice not to follow her mother's story still felt like a betrayal of some kind, but she was still Apple's friend.

As Apple walked with Ashlynn to class, she felt like things might work out. It was just puppy love that was making Ashlynn question her destiny. There was a chance that Angel's interfering could somehow make it so Hunter ended up being Ashlynn's Prince Charming, but Apple seriously doubted it. No, what Ashlynn felt for Hunter probably wasn't love, not really. Maybe she thought it was love. It was because they were getting so confused.

Angel would fix this and soon things would be as they were supposed to.

But until then Apple would support Ashlynn. There was no reason to hurt Ashlynn. The poor girl had just gotten caught by her emotions and Raven's Rebels. Everything would go back to how it was supposed to. Apple just had to act like the queen she had always been meant to be. She would lead her subjects in the right path, and all the stories would come true.

Apple and Ashlynn were given leeway. It turned out that quite a few students were skipping, late, or sleeping class. Really, Apple didn't understand why they had done the ceremony on a Wednesday. Most students had spent the night partying, and those that hadn't probably hadn't gotten that much sleep, especially after the excitement of the night before.

"Student, may I have your attention," said Headmaster Grimm over the intercom. Everyone looked up. "After the events of last night it has come to my attention that we haven't been making it clear how important our destinies are. Those students who have identified themselves as Rebels, you're schedule has changed and you will have one slot for weekly therapy groups where you will talk together and with Royals about your worries and reasons for abandoning you're destiny. You may also be asked to meet with a school counselor on an one on one basis. Any students who feel they need some to see a counselor to discuss your feelings and work out any anxiety over students rejecting their destinies may also sign up with their counselor on a one to one counseling session as well. Through Friday there will be some drastic changes and rules to follow. Soldiers from various families will be loaned to the school and will be found patrolling not only the classrooms but also the dormitories. No one is allowed to leave the castle, and no parties will be thrown, and every character will be in their dorms by eight o'clock sharp. The soldiers will be here later today to enforce those rules. There is also a mandatory School Assembly this Friday where more information will be made available to you. No one is excused from it and attendance will be taken. Have a nice day."

And if nothing else, then the parents and teachers who supported them would make sure that nothing horrible happened to any characters at Ever After High. Apple sighed in relief. She wasn't in this fight alone. She had to remember that most students were Royals, and that all the teachers supported the Royals, there was no way that they wouldn't get every character back on the right path.


	4. Rebel 2

Chapter Four: Rebel

Raven had only been to a couple of parties during her time at Ever After High. She didn't like them. They always reminded her of the balls her mother would throw. Obviously the parties at the school weren't anything like the ones in the Poison Village. Those balls were full of evil characters that were constantly trying to stab each other in the back and poisoning the punch. Raven had spied on them, hiding in a dark corner and watching it all in the hopes that she would see someone try something evil on her mother. To watch as they fall apart.

Nothing ever happened that Raven had to worry anything about. She hadn't really watched the parties because she wanted to protect her mom or even be a part of the party. At parties there were things that the guests were excepted to do, poison their host, take each other into dark corners to form loose alliances or kill each other. The one that had Raven hiding away was that every time Raven got kidnapped by one of the guests' men.

This party was definitely different. While a few of the teens were of evil origin, the general feel of the room was of excited joy. No one was planning on how to take out competition and keep their everyone on their toes.

It was just weird. Raven had been to Briar's parties that year, mostly the study ones, or ones that Maddie dragged her to, but Raven had always been able to quickly disappear into the corner or become just another face. No one really noticed or paid her any attention. This was so much more different.

Now everyone wanted to talk to the supposed to be Future Evil Queen. They congratulated her and shoved drinks into her hands as they swung to the beat and tried to talk over the music. Cedar nervously chatted to whoever she found herself around. Nervously saying why she choose to be a Rebel. Everyone seemed excited that they were going against the rules, and most seemed to genuinely be interested in writing their own stories. They listened to the other person's reason for writing their own stories and then happily tried to put into words why they had chosen the Rebel path.

Raven couldn't believe that all this was happening. For so long she had thought that she was the only one who really protested her destiny. She had heard characters complain about their destinies from time to time, but they never seemed too serious about their irritation. Mild irritation at ones destiny did not mean that they would completely reject and go against the very reason they were at the school their parents sent them to.

Eventually Raven was able to sneak away into another dorm room that hadn't been taken over. As Raven looked around, she realized that not everyone at the party were the ones who had sworn to write their own destinies. Some were underclassmen, who the school would probably now label as Rebels also. Raven wondered what being a named Rebel would do to some of these kids. She wondered what it mean for her.

It was one thing when Raven was hinting at a dissatisfaction with her legacy. It was a completely different thing to go against everything that the school stood for and drag other impressionable students down with them. Raven knew there would be consequences when she did it, but even when Cedar and the rest had gotten together to get ready for Legacy Day, she hadn't believed that they would follow her lead.

Raven was in deep trouble.

Finally Raven was able to force herself past all the partiers, a couple of who looked like characters who had sworn to follow in their parent's footsteps. Raven had thought that the Royals would have their own party, but maybe Raven had hurt Apple so bad that they were all turning in early.

No, that couldn't be it. Briar would not give up throwing a party no matter what. The other character was completely focused on living it up before she had to fall asleep. Of course, maybe Briar had moved the party to the Rebels. The next Sleeping Beauty might have pledged herself with all the students before Raven, but it was clear that Briar had no real interest in her own story. She was too rambunctious to ever sit still or want to sleep for one hundred years.

But no, Briar was loyal to Apple. They were best friends. Briar wouldn't abandon Apple when it was clear the future queen was distraught. At least, Apple didn't think she would.

"Raven!" Raven turned around in shock. Apparently the room she entered wasn't as empty as she originally thought. It was very dark. The music was playing loudly in the background and made the floor pulse, it was surprising that anyone could sleep through it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," said Raven in a whisper. A lamp sprang on and the first thing Raven did was call herself was an idiot. Of course it was two people sneaking off to make out. Though the way Ashlynn's skirt was ruffled and strap undone from her shoulder. It was clear that something more was going on. "Ashlynn? Hunter?"

"Um," Hunter was wiping at his mouth. Ashlynn glanced over at him and then Raven. She looked scared to death.

"Please Raven," said Ashlynn, running to the supposed to be Evil Queen and holding her hands tight. "I couldn't follow my mother's footsteps, Hunter isn't a prince. If they find out that I turned down my destiny for him... I don't know what they would do to him. Did you hear what my mother did to her stepsisters after she became queen?"

"I thought it was the birds that did that," said Raven, trying to get Ashlynn off her arms. Her grip was cutting off circulation to her arms.

"Yeah, birds that were born from my grandmother's tree," said Ashlynn. Hunter came to Raven's aid, walking behind his girlfriend and transferring her vice like grip to himself as he drew her into a tight hug.

"And my father isn't known for being the most reasonable man," said Hunter. Raven looked between the two. Ashlynn looked guilty and scared as she looked between Hunter and Raven. Hunter looked protective of Ashlynn, giving her a slight squeeze and seeming to try and mold his girlfriend into himself.

"I won't tell anyone," promised Raven and then chuckled. "It would be kind of hypocritical of me."

"Thank you," said Ashlynn, throwing her arms around Raven's neck. Raven pushed her away from her, gently but firmly. "I know, as thank you we can go see the animals together. I heard you like to sing with the doves that come to Apple's song. You know, those really aren't your type of birds."

"What?" asked Raven, crossing her arms in irritation. "Should I sing with bats and owls?"

"No, silly," said Ashlynn with a roll of her eyes and a giggle. "I think you should sing with Nightingales and Canaries. They would match your voice better."

"You've never heard me sing before," said Raven, feeling her hackles rise. Characters were always pairing her with sinister things. While a nightingale might not be an owl or a bat, it did have its own sort of sinister sound to its name.

"The birds have, and I listen to what they sing back to me. Believe me, I'm the person you want to talk if you want woodland creatures to come and enhance your song. How do you think Apple got the doves to follow her every move so closely?" asked Ashlynn. "Anyway, we should get back to the party."

Raven allowed herself to be dragged back into the crowd of people. It wasn't ideal, but Raven couldn't turn Ashlynn down. The other character would need plenty of support. Not many of the rebels would understand why Ashlynn with her perfect fairytale ending had gone against her wonderful destiny, and Apple especially would be furious at the betrayal. There was a good chance that Ashlynn would soon lose all her friends.

When the party finally ended, it was only a couple of hours before classes started. Raven yawned. Why did Legacy has to happen in the middle of the week? No one would be able to do anything tomorrow, well, today.

When Raven had finally made her way back to her dorm room, she found that Apple was already asleep. Raven walked over carefully to the royal's side of the room. Apple was almost completely covered by her by her covers when usually the future Snow White had a habit of kicking off the heavier covers and leaving only the sheets to cover her. Now the princess was completely covered in her heavy sheets, only the tips of her blonde hair visible. Worse of all, Apple hadn't slept in her usually fashion. Most of the time Apple slept on her back, legs stretched out and arms folded over her chest after she had kicked off her blankets. It was important to Apple that she at least ended up in that position seeing as it was apparently very important to the future queen that she get the sleeping part of her story right.

Apple hiding under her covers in a ball was just wrong. Raven sighed and turned away from her roommate. Raven was glad to see that Apple had returned to their room. The way the blonde was sleeping was worrying, but less so than if the future queen hadn't returned to the room at all. This way Raven knew Apple was safe. If one thing would haunt Raven, it was the expression on Apple's face after Raven had promised to write her own story.

If there was anything that would ever make Raven feel that she really was the villain that everyone seemed to want her to be was the look on Apple's face. Raven wasn't sure how she was going to face Apple after this. Maybe she could avoid the future queen, or maybe she could trade rooms with Lizzie. Lizzie was a Royal after all.

By the time Raven finally curled up in bed, she had decided that the best thing to do was skip classes at least for a day. It would have two benefits. Raven would seem to be still evil in mind by skipping classes that were meant to brainwash her into being an evil queen. Also Raven wouldn't have to deal with teachers looking at her in disappointment and their barbs about her choices.

It was stupid. Raven was a good students. Even in her evil classes she got good grades. She was polite and didn't disturb class. She did her work and supported school functions, though she wasn't a part of any formal clubs seeing as she had been laughed out of singing club.

Within moments Apple was singing at her. Raven groaned and turned away, but Apple just kept on singing. Something about there only being fifteen minutes before class started. Raven shot out of bed and immediately started getting ready for the day. She threw on her dress and splashed her face with water. She needed to remember to take a long bath later that day.

It was almost until Raven had reached her first class that she realized what she was doing. Even when Apple was apparently trying to be nice she messed up Raven's plans. Raven stopped in the hallway. Why had Apple tried to help her? Raven had just crushed all her dreams. Raven was one of the most, if not the most, important person to Apple's story. Without Raven, Apple would never go through her trial and come out with the prince who would give Apple her happily ever after. At least, that was what Apple believed.

So there had to be some reason that Apple had woken her up.

"Raven Queen." And there it was. Raven sighed and squared her shoulders and turned to face Headmaster Grimm who was stampeding in her direction. "You will not be attending classes today."

"Am I expelled?" demanded Raven.

"No," said the Headmaster between gritted teeth. He took Raven's upper arm in a firm grip. Raven winced. His grip was tight enough to bruise her. A flash of purple sparked through Raven's body. The Headmaster quickly let go of Raven before her magic could harm him. "You are obviously disturbed. Throwing you out of school would not only be doing you a disservice but anyone in your story could be hurt by your insistence on avoiding your destiny. We must help guide you on the right path. But that doesn't mean you aren't going to be punished. Unfortunately what you and your Rebel friends did was so extreme that the punishment is going to hurt the Royals to."

"What?" asked Raven, her voice cracking as she stopped moving. The Headmaster turned on her, his face turning red.

"This is the consequences of your actions Raven. We as teachers and mentors cannot allow you to not only destroy yourself but your fellow characters," the Headmaster took a deep breath in and was obviously trying to calm himself. "We will help you Raven. No matter how frustrating your actions become, we will help you realize and achieve your destiny."

"How can I destroy my fellow characters by choosing to be a good person?" asked Raven.

"Raven, you are an evil person. It is in your nature. By being evil you help elevate the good characters," said the Headmaster. "Don't you see Raven, the most evil thing you could do is..."

"Oh you found her Headmaster," said Baba Yaga, the old hag seeming to appear from nowhere. "Hello dear, are you ready for our meeting?"

"Meeting?" Raven asked. The Headmaster hadn't said anything about a meeting.

"Of course dear," said the counselor. She cackled and grabbed Raven's wrist. "Come on we have much to talk about before your sent to the dungeons."

"Dungeons?" asked Raven with a small gasp. The old woman cackled.

"Well of course dear. After what you did what did you expect is to do?" asked Baba Yaga. Raven clenched her fists.

"I don't know, maybe respect my decision to be good?" snapped Raven, trying to keep up with the old woman. The old woman cackled and the air around them seemed to snap and suddenly they found themselves in the old woman's counseling room. At least this time there were none of Raven's friends and acquaintances to harass her about being too friendly. No, just the old evil woman who patrolled the woods and ate helpless children unless they accomplished impossible tasks.

"Raven, you are in a school that specifically trains young men and women to follow in their parent's footsteps," said Baba Yaga. She set her broom in the air and with a quick sweep to get rid of her footsteps, she was floating in the air. "You will get in trouble for breaking those rules."

Raven felt her face heating up, her hands clenching into tight fists.

"Oh, but I wouldn't worry dear," said Baba Yaga. "I won't say that I don't think you couldn't do with some guidance, but you are starting to show your more evil side. A bit of an unhealthy way to explore your evil nature, but being evil always comes with its own pitfalls."

"But I did the right thing," snapped Raven. "I refused to be evil. I want to do good."

"How do you do good when your actions bring misery and death to those around you?" asked Baba Yaga. Raven felt her breath catch in her chest. The old woman's teeth look sharp.

"I'm not going to kill anyone," shouted Raven, the old woman clucked her tongue.

"Didn't you hear the Headmaster?" asked the old woman with a shrug. "If you do not follow your destiny than your story not only disappears but you and all the characters in your story turn to dust. The seven dwarves who help in the mines until you two have graduated will be gone, their fathers and mothers mourning their loss. Apple will be gone, and Hunter is even in danger, though he may be saved by the fact that he has two stories, but what if he turns to dust. What happens to Cerise's story?"

"I don't want to hurt anyone," said Raven.

"Then you would follow your story," said Baba Yaga. "The only reason your mother is seen as so evil is because she was cruel to her subjects in her monarchy between the time her husband died and Snow White took her place as queen. No one died from her direct rule, though the lords were starting to come together to overthrow her or so the rumors say. And of course Apple will be no more."

"Oh yeah, because we can't forget about perfect Apple. What makes her so good?" demanded Raven, pacing back and forth and practically pulling at her hair. "What makes her better than me? She needs me to be evil in order for her to be good. She's forcing me to be evil so she can get her happily ever after. How is that good? She should be on my side, not demanding that I be evil?"

"It would be good of Apple to let all the fairy tale creatures die because of the selfish and rebellious decisions of a few?" asked Baba Yaga. Raven's entire body went as taught as a stretched elastic. She had become so worked up that she couldn't even get the words to defend herself. "But truly Raven. I am glad to see you embracing your sin."

"My sin?" Raven forced out between her teeth.

"Jealousy," said Baba Yaga, still smiling in that insane way. "Perhaps your evil side is expressing itself through a different avenue. But the end of your last year is a little late to start exploring your more evil tendencies."

"I'm not evil!" Raven shouted, all the glass in the room cracking.

Baba Yaga didn't respond, but Raven was sharp enough to realize that the old woman didn't have to say anything. Raven felt herself stumble back and fall into a chair. She buried her head in her hands. Raven didn't want to be evil. She wasn't jealous of Apple. Raven thought the other girl was shallow and people only loved her because of who her parents' were. Raven wanted to be liked on her own merits, and she wanted to be liked by genuinely kind people. Those idiots that shouted at her because her mother was evil were shallow and Raven was sure they weren't that interesting.

"I'm not jealous," Raven finally said softly. She looked up at Baba Yaga. "I don't want to end up like my mother. I just want to help characters and be allowed to make my own decisions. I can't help anyone because the charities they think I'm going to do something horrible to the children or elderly, and even when I try something they run away from me."

"My dear, the sooner you embrace who you are the happier you will be," said Baba Yaga, not sounding like she pitied Raven, but like every other character like she was stating a fact. "The magic of a character reflects her heart. The last time you used magic in my room you turned the Headmaster into a chicken. Has your magic suddenly started helping others?"

"No, and my magic doesn't reflect my heart," snapped Raven. She looked down at her hands and then let her magic surfaced, but the evil purple of her magic pulled and tried to escape. Raven quickly stifled it. "My magic is so dark because my mother is evil."

Baba Yaga chuckled. "There is more to your mother than you know, my dear. Like you, she only wished to be a good wife, queen, and mother."

"How? She made everyone miserable. She tried to kill her adopted daughter," said Raven.

"Do you think that is how she started?" asked Baba Yaga. "How do you know what her motivations were?"

"You said she was jealous," said Raven sharply, glaring at Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga just smiled at her, her hands clasped in her lap. "Fine, let's say she had some reason for what she did. Are you saying that she wasn't really a villain and didn't deserve what happened to her?"

"No, she did great evil and almost killed the most wonderful queen we've had in over a thousand years, and killed many others when trying to control back after her step daughter had gotten her prince," said Baba Yaga. "But all you want to do is write your own story. It will only destroy every character in your story, and as your Rebel against your story all those characters that were unsure of their own destiny and look up to you as a role model of evil and followed your lead, potentially destroying themselves in the process. Raven, if you have to be good, think of what your sacrifice will mean to every character around you. Once Apple has overcome the vanity and jealousy in her own heart and the poison has left her, than the land will have another perfect queen and our land will flourish."

Raven looked up at Baba Yaga. Everything the woman said hit her and made her question what she was doing, but at the same time Raven knew it was wrong. How could she make the world better by being evil? Shouldn't she be able to make it better by doing good deeds?

The bell rang, jolting Raven from her thoughts. She looked at the clock. Somehow, though it only felt like a few minutes, an entire period had slipped through her fingers while she talked insanity with a woman who was trying to convince Raven that by doing evil, Raven would be able to do good. Right, because becoming an evil queen and trying to kill her adopted daughter was something Raven thought would bring joy to the world. And maybe Raven was also being a little bit selfish. Raven wanted to have a loving family. She certainly didn't want to suddenly get an "adopted" daughter that was the same age as her and immediately start being jealous of how good Apple looked. Raven was not the person who stood in front of a mirror and demanded to know who was the fairest in the land every morning.

"I'm not going to follow my mother," said Raven softly.

" Students, may I have your attention," said Headmaster Grimm over the intercom. "After the events of last night it has come to my attention that we haven't been making it clear how important our destinies are. Those students who have identified themselves as Rebels, you're schedule has changed and you will have one clot for weekly therapy groups where you will talk together and with Royals about your worries and reasons for abandoning you're destiny. You may also be asked to meet with a school counselor on an one on one basis. Any students who feel they need some to see a counselor to discuss your feelings and work out any anxiety over students rejecting their destinies may also sign up with their counselor on a personal level.

Through Friday there will be some drastic changes and rules to follow. Soldiers from various families will be loaned to the school and will be found patrolling not only the classrooms but also the dormitories. No one is allowed to leave the castle, and no parties will be thrown, and every character will be in their dorms by eight o'clock sharp. The soldiers will be here later today to enforce those rules. There is also a mandatory School Assembly this Friday where more information will be made available to you. No one is excused and attendance will be taken. Have a nice day."

"Well, that's that," said Baba Yaba. Raven's hands clasped in her lap, tight enough to almost draw blood. "Now, you should get to class. Philosophy of Evil right? I think it is important to go to that class. I will schedule a time for us to meet next week that won't clash with your classes though it will cut into your free time."

Baba Yaga and her house then disappeared, leaving Raven in an empty room in the castle. Raven forced herself to take a calming breath. It would be alright. She slung her purse over one shoulder and then let it fall into her hand. She didn't even pretend to go to class. Raven did not believe that she could accomplish anything, and this would be the last time she could probably skip classes with soldiers coming to school.

The future Evil Queen walked out of the castle and headed right for the woods. She started humming under her breath, nothing specific and no words came to mind, but sometimes just letting the sounds play themselves through her made her.

What was the point of going to class? For years Raven had tried to make the best of the classes that were specifically designed for teaching her to be evil. And the only reason she felt she passed was because Raven always wrote things that were confrontational. Teachers seemed to think that her magic and the way her mind had been twisted to seeing the world in a slightly "skewed" way meant she was understanding evil if not acknowledging that she was evil.

The day was bright, the sun shining with all its strength even as the cooler autumn breeze nipped a little at her arms and neck. She stopped at an overgrown pound. A couple of frogs croaked in the distance and birds chirped around her. Raven sat where the rays of sunlight filtered through the changing leaves creating patches of warmth on her pale skin. Raven leaned forward, letting her long hair brush against her arms.

Her hair had this way of making everyone think she was just so evil. Raven held the long strands in her hands. Maybe if she chopped it off. Raven looked down into the murky water. Her distorted image truly looked frightening and evil. It wasn't just her hair, it was how she looked. From the purple eyeliner to the black and purple of her wardrobe. It always held something sinister to each stitch. Maybe in order for Raven to be good, she would have to change.

It had always been Raven's belief that in order for her to be who she really wanted to be. To be a good person with loving friends and an active role in a community that accepted her, she would have to change herself. Maybe it would just have to be her looks. Cut her purple hair a little shorter or color it a bright happy color. She could get a new wardrobe of clothes that she bought from the village when the ban was lifted that were something bright and cheerful.

Raven punched at her reflection. Water splattered across her dress and face. She shouldn't have to change. Raven didn't want a fairytale. She wanted her own story and she wanted to rewrite it so her story continued throughout her life. No happily ever afters, just a life of purpose and of love.

If Raven changed her image, she would just be confirming to Baba Yaga that she wanted Apple's life. The only thing Raven was maybe jealous of was how people just assumed Apple was good. Raven tried again and again to prove to everyone that she could overcome the circumstances of her birth. Again and again not only did characters disbelieve her, they actively tried to force her into the role of evil.

Enough was enough. Maybe changing her image wasn't the answer. Raven said that she was interested in being good. She was interested in being herself. Characters could believe what they wanted, but as long as they left her alone, then she would do what she felt was right. She wouldn't try to prove herself to characters that wouldn't listen and who would try to twist every action she did into an evil one and twist Raven with their own crooked beliefs.

Plus, Raven now had followers. There was a group of characters that were obviously unsatisfied with following in their parents' footsteps. And Cedar had a point in her ramblings. In the original stories our parents landed i situation and with dilemmas that actually fit into the pattern of their lives. They weren't told they were good or evil, their paths crossed and they made their choices based on their own beliefs and personalities. raven just wanted that chance. She wanted to follow her own path, and she knew that in her heart she was a good person. Maybe she wasn't a heroine or the main character of a story, but she also wasn't an evil queen.

The song in Raven's heart flew as she continued to sing. She continued to avoid saying any actual words, mostly just ahs and nondescript language. But as the song rose in volume, Raven's heart beat faster and her emotions tied into every note that grew from the deepest depths of her lungs and broke into the air.

A canary came down and landed on Raven's knee. The chirps mixed with her song. Raven wondered if Ashlynn had already told the birds about her, but quickly dismissed the thought. Not because she didn't believe that Ashlynn would go back on her word, but because the other girl probably hadn't had time to really process what had happened to her. Now that the entire school was on lockdown, who knew what the other girl was thinking.

Just a little longer, Raven would just have to wait until the end of the year and then she would be free. At the moment the Rebel might be under her mother's thumb, but as soon as she graduated, she was free. And Raven would leave. The fact of the matter was the land ruled by Snow White only extended so far. So Raven would leave their kingdom. Raven had overheard from C.A. all about Monster High when the other girl had been rambling to Dexter. Monster High, while maybe not located in the perfect place, at least was filled with monster who believed in defying their backgrounds and being who they really were.

Raven could leave Ever After and go to that city, maybe even convince them that she would make a good teacher, but even if she couldn't, it would be better than staying here. Over there, no one would know who she was. They would have to judge her on who she was instead of who her mother was, and she would show them that she was kind and someone worth being friends with. No one would run screaming from her and calling her evil.

Yeah, just one more year. Raven just had to survive to the end of her high school career and she could leave to pursue her own goals.

Raven's voice broke and the woods went silent before dozens of canaries broke from where they had been hiding in the woods and with shrill chirps they flew into the sky.


	5. Royal 3

Chapter Five: The Royal

It really hadn't taken long for Briar to get over her slump that her party had been canceled. It had taken about five hours after the soldiers had shown up, their solemn faces seen staring harshly into space all over the school. At first Briar had been depressed because the soldiers would calmly reprimand her and order her away from the windows so she wouldn't hurt herself and then ordered her to stop making makeshift snowboards to go down the steps. She was no longer allowed to have any fun. Then she found just the right guard to provoke, as Blondie said. This man got ticked off at the slightest perceived infraction, and was quick to attack without hardly a thought. Briar now teased him mercilessly and easily got him into such a rage that he would chase her with his sword drawn and yelling obscenities no Princess should be forced to hear.

So now, on Friday, Briar was running ahead of the rest of the gang toward the theatre with a triumphant yell of joy as the swearing guard followed her. Apple and the rest of her friends rolled their eyes. The ridiculous thrill seeker was becoming more and more reckless the closer she got to when she would fall asleep. Really, Apple was jealous of Briar. If anyone's fate was sealed it was Briar. The reason Briar had no real fear of her story not coming to fruition was her evil godmother was obsessed with her. The moment that the girl got the go ahead to put Briar to sleep, she would take it. She had even tried to break in.

Actually the whole thing was a little disturbing. Cinderella had actually changed Briar's parent's fiefdom in order to save Briar. It had been inconvenient for the whole family, and the peasants had been sorry to see their lords leave, but the evil godmother, who had been aged by her mother just for Briar's birthday, had made it clear that when she said Briar would prick her finger on a spinning wheel by her sixteenth birthday she meant sixteen. Briar was already seventeen and the only reason the evil godmother hadn't found her was because of the spells and enchantments around the school and the town next to it.

If only Raven could be that way. Though now Apple felt she understood her Briar's antsy dancing around now. After having spent the last few days confined to castle, Apple was starting to feel claustrophobic. Just the knowledge that she could not leave had her wanting to fly from the place. Apple actually found herself repeating her early lessons on what a proper princess does.

The theatre was buzzing with discontented and scared characters. The podium on the raised stage was empty and the seats was split in half. But this time the students had divided themselves differently than before, though not too much differences. The students had roughly divided themselves into Rebels and Royals. Since more characters had sworn to follow their destiny than not, the Rebels side had been split into two groups. The ones who had sworn to write their own destinies sat at the front of the room where most of the soldiers seemed to have also gravitated toward along the walls and even in front of the stage. At the back sat a couple of characters that were Royals, but obviously showing their support of the Rebels, but also all of the younger classmen who were considering that on their Legacy Day they would destroy their futures by swearing to supposedly "write their stories".

As Apple took her place at the front of the row with the other Royals, she saw Raven. Her roommate looked cool as a cucumber, but the future Evil Queen had been acting that way all week. Raven had also been very strange all week. The future Evil Queen had spent a lot of time in front of the mirror. At first Apple worried Raven had realized her brush was missing, but Raven never said anything and held another brush in a loose grip, running it absently through her hair in the morning until the bell rang signaling that the characters were allowed to leave their rooms for class.

At night Raven had thrown a curtain of magic over her bed until she fell asleep. It wasn't that the future Evil Queen wouldn't talk to Apple, but only if Apple said something first and Raven only answered in short, clipped answers that cut away and discouraged any further conversation.

Next to Raven was her friend Madeline. While Madeline was technically a Royal, her allegiance to Raven and the Rebels was undisputed. It was rumored that along with all the confirmed Rebels that automatically got assigned a half hour slot to meet with one of the school counselors at least once a week, Madeline had also been assigned someone. She apparently had made the counselor cry and then quit to pursue his true passion, animal talking.

Apple looked up at the stage. Teachers were milling in to sit in their seats. Good on the right, evil on the left, and neutral characters filling the middle. Apple should have also been up there with Madeline since they were two co student body presidents. Apple sure hoped that after the meeting everything would go back to normal and the restriction on their times and activities would lifted. The knights had been telling them all sorts of new rules Headmaster Grimm hadn't announced that first day.

The Headmaster showed up, but Apple found herself unable to pay attention to what he was saying. His voice seemed to drone and flit through her brain. All Apple could do was look in the direction of the Headmaster and hope something sunk in. She was so worried that he would agree with Raven, that nothing but worry clouded her head and the only thing she could have heard about was if the Headmaster started talking about changing school policy so that ever character had to write their own stories.

"... from now on the soldiers are only authorized to enforce normal school rules and restrictions. I hope that as a school we won't be forced into lockdown again. That is all."

There was a cheer from the entire school. Apple stood and joined automatically with the rest of the school. Briar sprang from her side and ran up to the podium. The Headmaster gave her a glance as he walked away from the podium, but held up a hand to stop the teachers from trying to restrain Briar.

"Wait everyone, two announcements," shouted Briar, making the mics screech under her yell. "Ashlynn, Goldie, and I are throwing a party that we have been able to work out with the teachers so we can have it outside in the park on this beautiful night that will last all the way into Saturday. So be ready to shake it all night long with the whole school. Also, Apple and Maddie wish to address the school as our copresidents."

With a last cheer of excitement, Briar jumped from the stage. The characters in the front rows had to catch he or be crushed by her. It took Apple a second to realize that Briar had been able to do as she asked and she quickly, but properly made her way up the side of the stage to meet Madeline at the center. Madeline was addressing the crowd with her usual confusing rhymes, metaphors, and sayings. Apple was pretty sure that Madeline was saying what they had agreed on the day before when they were in fairy tales together.

"Hello everyone," said Apple putting on the widest smile she could and waving to the class. Madeline grabbed Apple and gave her a bone breaking squeeze around her shoulders and waved to the crowd with her. "I am here to assure you..."

"Madeline shouldn't be our president," shouted someone deep in the Royal's side of the auditorium. Apple felt her entire body tense and the speech she'd been gathering back in her mind slipped away from her again.

The crowd of students got more and more restless. The Royals had started picking up the incessant chant of "impeach" on the other side the Rebels were becoming more and more angry. All of them glaring at the Royal's side, but all their eyes fixed on Raven. They wouldn't go until Raven attacked, and when Apple met Raven's eyes for just a split second, Apple realized she'd be the one who decided for Raven what the other character would choose to do. Apple looked around the room, the knights looked just as poised to fight as the Rebels.

So the future queen took a deep breath in. The school was divided, but it always had been. In such a safe and structured environment the students sometimes forgot what evil really was. They accused certain characters of being evil, but usually, at their worse, these "evil characters" were mischievous.

"No," said Apple calmly, sending her best disappointed glare and bringing her hand up and then pointing down. They sat. Apple then turned and looked at Raven. They locked gazes, having the conversation they should have had when this whole thing started and the lines were drawn. After what felt like a lifetime. Raven sat down. "You all know me. You know I don't support the Rebel's cause."

Apple looked over at Madeline. The blue haired character smiled and sipped from a tiny teacup.

"However, we must be a united school. We must understand and support our fellow students. Resorting to violence is brutish and against school rules. We all signed contracts to understand and support each other as we learn to become the best character we can be. I know a lot of us are feeling betrayed. You all saw how I reacted when Raven..." Apple had to take a breath and push her emotions back down to twist her at her chest. "But that doesn't mean I try to change her. She is still evil, and she is still important to me. If we suppress the Rebels, we only prove that we only care about ourselves and they will shut us out. The best way to show the Rebels that what is best is by allowing open speech and understanding. It's good that both of us won, we can mediate, we can understand the others point of view. We have to make it through this troubled time together. Madeline remains my co-president."

"And the Queen Blood is my tea representative," said Madeline, she looked right in Apple right in the eye. "You're a good confused friend Apple."

"Right, thank you Maddie," said Apple, giving her a small hug before taking the mic. "I guess we said a deal that we wanted to. But I want to assure you that we will continue to hold throne room still Saturday and Sunday mornings and Wednesdays right after classes for our hours. We will continue to do what we can on a student level to keep you informed and have students have a voice in their education. Thank you."

"Also, new shoes for everyone down at the horrible parent's slippers," said Madeline.

There was no cheer this time. Every character stood up and started to leave, the gossip in the room drowning out Apple's thoughts.

"Hey, Apple," said Ashlynn. Apple looked up, skirts in hand as she carefully made her way down the steps. Ashlynn stood in front of her, not meeting Apple's eyes. Maddie went to stand behind her along with Raven, Hunter, and even Cerise. Apple felt her chest tighten. Just because she had spoken about them getting along, didn't mean she actually wanted to speak to them. But she felt her ground. She was president and the future queen, she had to be a good role model for the rest of the school.

"Hello Ashlynn," said Apple, easily smiling at her old friend. Apple felt a strong arm wrap around her middle and she turned briefly to see Daring smile brightly at her. "Is there something you need?"

"I thought you might like to come down to the Glass Slippers with the rest of us to get some new shoes for the party before the school realizes what Madeline said," said Ashlynn, meeting Apple's eyes hesitantly and smiling shakily. Apple glanced behind her and saw Raven was glaring at her, as if daring the future queen to hurt the future Cinderella. Apple felt her blood boil in anger. Hadn't Raven heard anything Apple had said? Apple was going to make sure their stories happened, but not by making characters miserable. And especially not by making her friends miserable. That was something an evil character did.

"That sounds amazing. With everything that's going I haven't had time to even think about shopping," said Apple she turned to Daring. "You won't be too bored will you?"

"I've missed you Apple. Anything we do together will be enough for me," said Daring, nuzzling the side of her cheek. She glanced from side to side and saw, sure enough, there was Duchess.

"Great, let's go," said Briar, practically jumping on Apple. Apple rolled her eyes. They all headed out of the auditorium and outside. Apple kept having to stop her conversation with the rest of her friends in order to save Daring. Apple didn't mind saving Daring, but they should have used this time to reconnect to friends they hadn't had time to be with these last few days.

Instead Daring softly tried to turn Duchess down so he could talk to Cerise, only to have Duchess rip into Cerise with such ferocity that the girl ran. Apple tried to chase after her, but Cerise had always been the fastest person in their class.

"I think I know who stole my evil side now," said Raven, catching Apple before she made it back to the group. Apple tried to force a smile for her but ended up sighing. "I knew Duchess was a nuisance, but I never realized how insidious her plans were."

"You really think so?" asked Apple. "You're not saying that just to make me feel better?"

"I would think me telling you that Duchess was evil would upset you seeing as she is supposed to be good," said Raven, raising one eyebrow.

"I'm not convinced she really is good," said Apple with a sigh. "Her story doesn't actually say. A character might just assume that because she is the main character of her story she is good."

"I guess," said Raven, she then glanced at Apple. "So, I was thinking. I could try to 'steal Duchess's evil'" Raven put air quotes at the last bit."Or at least distract her while you go shopping so you can catch up your friends and be with Daring properly."

"You'd do that for me?" asked Apple excitedly, and then remembered who was offering to do her a favor. Really, Apple should feel apprehension because she was afraid Raven was scheming something evil, not because the future evil queen was doing something kind again.

"For a favor," said Raven carefully. Apple looked at the other character suspiciously and Raven sighed. "Can we not talk about my choice, or about Rebels and Royals in our room?"

"Why?" asked Apple.

"Because I'm afraid one of us will break the contract if you keep pushing the subject," said Raven, in exasperation. "We live together Apple. Eventually, if neither of us changed our minds in time, either you would become evil by trying to strangle me or attack me with birds, or I wouldn't be in our stories by virtue of being locked in the deepest dungeon of the some dank prison."

"Oh," said Apple. "That's why you've been avoiding me."

Apple thought about it and then finally nodded and held up her hand. She didn't have anything to lose really. If Raven kept her end of the deal, Apple could find other ways to encourage Raven to be evil without directly talking about it, and if Raven went back on her word, well, that was one positive step on Raven accepting who she was. "It's a deal."

They headed back, and Apple started right for Ashlynn quickly interrogating her friend on the shoes that were supposed to come in. Apple almost jumped in surprise when Daring took her hand in his and gave hers a little kiss. Apple snuck a glance behind her and saw that Raven was smiling coyly at Duchess, her purple magic flickering and the two flunkies who usually flanked Duchess suspiciously absent.

The town was flooded with characters. By now most of them would be students who needed to shop or had been wrangled in early by Raven, Ashlynn, or Goldie to get last minute supplies for the party that night. Of course in other shops, characters from school flew around trying to acclimate themselves to everything that changed and apologizing profusely to whatever friend or relative that lived outside of school that they hadn't been there the last few days.

Ashlynn broke away from her conversation about party shoe favors from Raven and sprinted the last few yards to her store.

The rest of the group went at a more leisurely pace, only to find Ashlynn being thrown out of her own shop. They all stared at Ashlynn in surprise for a few minutes as the future Cinderella sat on the ground, hands on the cobblestones, looking gob smacked.

Apple was the first to snap out of it. She instantly ran and leaned down, Ashlynn's hands and helping her up. Briar wasn't long behind, asking if Ashlynn was alright and what had happened and if Briar needed to go into the shop and dispence some good old fashioned fairy tale justice.

Apple looked in the window of the shop only to see Cinderella herself, throwing her hands in the air. Apple quickly ran and opened the door. Cinderella turned to face her, her expression stormy, but becoming bright as soon as she realized who it was.

"Apple, one of my best customers," said Cinderella, opening her arms. Apple stared at the woman in shock. Cinderella hardly ever came to the store. She trusted Ashlynn to be able to run the store on her own. It had always been a mark of pride for Ashlynn. "I just got a new shipment in and there's these wonderful shoes that I think you'll just love."

The bell rang and as Cinderella's eye flickered to see who it was, her expression became twisted and fierce.

"She is not allowed in here," said Cinderella, sounding more like an evil queen then one of the most celebrated ladies. Ashlynn sobbed and reached toward the woman.

"Mama, please, why are you doing this?" the girl asked, her shoes earring bobbing. Apple found herself backing away from the scene in horror. She watched in detached fascination as the lady who had once taught them all to sing just so to call helpful vermin to them, slapped her daughter across the face and spat at her in anger.

"How dare you," said the lady, her body shaking with anger.

"How could you do that to your own daughter?" demanded Daring, stepping up as the prince he was, and pointing to where Ashlynn sobs in hysterics on Briar's shoulder and Goldie tried to find just the right thing to say to sooth her.

"Are you all in on this together?" demanded Cinderella, her voice screeching. Suddenly Apple heard the hiss of what sounded like snakes under the floorboards. "You are supposed to be respectable princesses and princes, and here you consort with this vile witch to rip my heart out."

The shout reverberated in the room and everyone was looking at Cinderella in appalled confusion as the lady pointed at her own daughter and called her a witch. "Get out of my store and never return."

Snakes and rats appeared from the shadows, their eyes glowing malevolently as they stalked slowly toward the foursome. Daring looked at the creatures and then at Apple. Apple made shooing motions with her hands and he gave a slight nod.

"I do not know what had gotten into you fair lady," said Daring, his voice softening though still strong and righteous. "But know that she is your daughter no matter what trick has been played on your mind and we will find a way to break you of this curse, my word as prince."

"Leave," screeched Cinderella. Apple watched in bated breath as the four turned and ran out the door, leaving just before the first snake could strike. Miraculously, the vermin had left Apple completely alone, apparently not associating her with her friends.

A sob tore through the store, and Apple looked to see that Cinderella had collapsed to the ground, her head resting in her hands as she sobbed with little mice and birds humming and nuzzling her.

"Cinderella?" asked Apple softly, taking careful steps toward the lady and trying to seem unthreatening. Cinderella gulped, as if eating her tears and sorrow and looked over at Apple as she tried to wipe away her tears.

"I'm sorry dear, that was very unsightly of me," said Cinderella, her voice cracking. She tried to wipe away her tears, but his sob caught in his throat. Apple sat down beside her and took her hand. Cinderella smiled shakily at her and rub her free fingers against her cheek. "You would never do something so cruel. My dear Apple, I remember when your mother brought you to me, so worried that you couldn't talk or sing to the animals. You were such a sweet little thing, just like the I imagine my sweet little girl would be."

Cinderella burst into tears again and Apple patted her back awkwardly.

"Let's get you those slippers," said Cinderella. Apple let her. Cinderella fussed over Apple for a little bit and Apple bought the slippers that Cinderella gave her, though they were much more Ashlynn's thing. Well, it wouldn't be too much trouble to find an outfit that went with them.

When she headed out she looked for her friends, her hands shook and there was something crawling at her chest trying to escape her throat. Apple was afraid that she blurt out something horrible. Instead she searched from shop to shop until she saw them in Goldie's shop. Goldie looked like she was talking to the youngest bear and Ashlynn was wiping at her eyes.

"Apple, what did you find out?" asked Ashlynn as the future queen walked into the shop.

"I think your parents memories have been altered," said Apple. "It sounded like your father also..."

Ashlynn help up her mirrorphone. Apparently she'd already tried to contact him.

"They somehow changed their memories so you're absent from them. Like she remembers teaching me to sing but doesn't remember you there with us," Apple bit her lip, not wanting to hurt Ashlynn more. But she owed Ashlynn to tell her what was going on. Well, as much as she safely could. "She thinks that you died when you were baby. That was why she was so upset, she thought that you were pulling a very mean prank. Also, right before I left she got a call from your dad, something about a suspicious transaction with our school."

Everyone gasped and Ashlynn looked scared.

"What if they refute it? They could get me kicked out of school. Without school or the shop, what will I do?" asked Ashlynn, tears touching the side of her eyes.

"Do not worry about it Ashlynn," said Daring. "We will find the evil witch who did this and make her remove this spell."

"Maybe Raven will know what to do," said Hunter, Ashlynn looked over at him in shock. She realized that he was making a point to stand at least a couple of feet from Ashlynn. Where had he been when Ashlynn was falling apart?

"Where is she?" asked Goldie.

"Doing a favor for me," said Apple quickly.

"Such a nice queen," said Madeline as she drifted one side of the room to the other. Apple did a double glance at the girl. She was just now starting to get used to Maddie and all her eccentricities. Most of the time Apple had to remind herself that the only constant in Maddie's life was her outfit, tea, Raven, and wacky behavior. The other girl hardly did anything twice and her actions never fit with what was going on or her reaction to a similar conclusion.

Now Maddie was gliding across the room, dancing for the mirrors like she was a ballerina.

"Plus, Raven doesn't have enough control over her magic to do something that complex," said Hunter.

"I didn't think she did anything," said Goldie, crossing her arms and muttering about never saying anything just right.

"Do you think you think that she might know which evil witch did this to Ashlynn?" asked Hunter, he made as if to reach out to Ashlynn, but instantly drew back his hand.

"I'll ask Raven tonight, I promise," said Apple. Briar then came crashing through the door and dragged Goldie and Ashlynn out the door. Hunter watched them go morosely. He then shouted about that squirrel he had been chasing since they had been freshmen.

The rest of the group floated apart. Apple took Daring to the spa. It was something they both enjoyed doing, and it really helped them relax. After Apple went on a whirl wind shopping spree. She and Daring were almost sprinting to the castle in order to make it to the school. They were both careful not to mess up their hair or clothes. Darin kept checking himself in his mirror.

They tipped some servants to bring their bags to their rooms and then headed to the quad. It had been completely redone. It looked like the entire school was there. The music blasted through the entire space, filling the air and making it hard for a character to even hear her own thoughts. It was a Briar party alright. Apple danced with Daring for a little while. Daring excused himself after a while and Apple danced with a group of girls until she started feeling sweaty.

Getting through the throngs of bodies to the gazebo and refreshments was a bit of a chore. The kids from Wonderland always had an odd sense of humor, but the few from Oz could be just as strange and mischievous in their own way.

The gazebo had a silencing charm on it so that the music could only be felt instead of heard.

A small dove landed on the table next to Apple. A few girls squealed and then started giggling. Apple paused, a honey soaked apple slice making her fingers sticky. The dove stuck out its leg, something white was wrapped around her leg. Apple put the slice down and reached for the bird. She untied the letter and the bird flew away. Apple shakily opened the letter.

_Pressure her if you ever want you're happily ever after._

It had no name, but Apple didn't need one. Everyone in the kingdom could identify the handwriting of the famous Grimm brothers. After the eldest had died of influenza, gathering atrifacts with his handwriting had become a hobby among those who loved the stories most. Apple's mother had the biggest collection, but not of his stories, of the various letter he wrote. She made it a habit to study them in order to learn more about the brothers Grimm, believing that if she understood the older brother, than she could help the younger deal with his grief.

"Apple, you have to stop them!" shouted Hunter. Apple gasped and tried to pull her arm from the hunters arm. She couldn't let him take her anywhere. It wasn't time, she didn't know what to say. "Apple, please, it's Ashlynn."

"What?" asked Apple, suddenly forced from her thoughts.

"The soldiers, they're taking her away, but maybe they'll listen to you," said Hunter. Apple hurried then, letting the hunter drag her through the crowd of still dancing students.

"Hunter!" she finally heard shouted through the crowd. The music still pounded in the open air, but they were far enough from the DJ that they could hear each other. Hunter pulled her all the way to the front of the school. Ashlynn was doing the best she could to fight the soldiers. But the soldiers held her tight enough to bruise as they tried to force herself into a dank and dark carriage.

"Headmaster, please, tell them about me," shouted Ashlynn. Apple looked behind her to see the Headmaster coming down the front steps of the castle.

"I'm sorry Ashlynn, if that is really who you are," said the Headmaster. "My hands are tied. You're parents have claimed that you are an imposter and have asked me to send you to Poison Village as you have been impersonating their daughter the whole time you've been attending our school."

"You know that's a lie," said Raven.

"Raven, the fact that you're defending her is not helping her case," said the Headmaster firmly. Raven turned scarlet in anger and then stomped away past Apple. She said something about contacting her mother. Apple's hands clenched. No, this wasn't supposed to be happening. Everything was going wrong. "I'm sorry Ashlynn, but my hands are tied. If you had sworn to follow your mother's story, then I could have proven to them this was the work of the Evil Queen. As such, not even Snow White seems to remember who you are, and you choose to write your own path. You must accept that this story is a part of that."

"You can't do that Headmaster," said Hunter angrily. "What happened to supporting the Rebel's instead of punishing them?"

"We will launch a full scale investigation," assured the Headmaster. "But I'm afraid until then you will have to rely on your wits and Raven's mother to survive Ashlynn. I promise to you that when the truth is found you will get the proper punishment or reward based on your actions."

"Please, save me Hunter," screamed Ashlynn as she was pushed into the carriage.

"Ashlynn," cried Hunter, but the knights caught him and dragged him back toward the castle. Apple covered her ears as the two lovers screamed, fear and anger filling the air.

"How could you do that?" demanded Briar as she glared at the Headmaster.

"Briar, dear, my hands are..."

"You know she's who she says she is," said screamed the to be Sleeping Beauty.

"No, I know what my records say. My mind has been altered just like the others, but unlike them, I know how to notice evil spells. Unfortunately I have to prove it," said Headmaster Grimm. "Go back to your party. You'll find that things always turn out how they should."

Briar shook her head, but the Headmaster was already leaving.

"I can't," said Briar, and then looked over at Apple. "I'm going to the library."

"You can't have another party at the library..." Apple started to say, jumping onto a subject she knew.

"I'm not throwing a party, I'm going to save Ashlynn," said Briar softly. Apple stared at the character in surprise. Briar hardly ever passed up on a party or a chance to live it up.

"We should get Raven," said Hunter.

"You get her. I won't miss out on being with my friends, not when I have such little time left," and with that statement, Briar fell to the ground, her narcolepsy getting the best of her. Daring caught her as she fell.

"I'll take her to the library. I don't think the party needs us," said Daring.

"I'll catch up with you," said Apple, nodding her head toward the Headmaster. Daring nodded and the rest of the group headed toward the castle. Apple tried to catch up with the Headmaster who was heading toward the party. She could fix this. Ashlynn would be back at school as soon as Apple admitted that she'd made a horrible deal with an evil witch. A queen must realize when she had done wrong by her subjects. Because obviously Angel had messed things up. Ashlynn was supposed to start her story.

To start her story Angel should have... should have...

Apple stopped walking so fast. Angel had made her parents and it seemed like all important adults forget about her. How would that work the story? It wouldn't. All it did was get Ashlynn in Angel's evil clutches. Why did Angel steal Ashlynn who would want...

The evil stepsisters, they would love to make Ashlynn miserable. And hadn't Apple told Ashlynn that she couldn't have a story exactly like her parents. Apple gave some thought to what had happened. Instead of her parents dying, they had forgotten her. Her mother had screeched at her and hit her, like what an evil stepmother would do. Apple was being sent to the same place as the evil stepsisters. No, the story wasn't exactly right, but it was never going to be, that was the reality of children of the fairy tale parents. Their stories followed in the same vein as their parents, but it had to be modified to fit with the times and circumstances of the new generation.

So the story was going correctly. Apple smiled. Ashlynn's happiness was still assured, and her story would have an even happier ending then her mother's had since the spell Angel put on everyone would probably be broken when Ashlynn got her prince. Or perhaps when Hunter went to save her, who knew how Angel would twist the story so it was still true to the original, but adapted to them.

Yes, Ashlynn was hurting, and so was everyone else and that was horrible. But that was the fact of fairy tales. They might always have happily ever afters, but a great deal of trials and sadness had to happen in order for that happily ever after.

Apple looked up to see the Headmaster had disappeared, but it didn't matter. She had nothing to confess, she was doing what he told her to do, and making sure that the stories went ahead as planned. It hurt, but they would weather it and everyone would see that living through your fairy tale was the best thing to do in order to reach happiness and to discover oneself.


	6. Rebel 3

Chapter Six: The Rebel

Duchess really was incorrigible. She cozied up to Daring whenever Apple started wandering away, and would act as the wounded party whenever Apple came close to telling her off. Raven was pretty sure that Duchess and herself must have been switched at birth for changeling. Duchess even had that sly, evil character smile that played on her lips when she was winding someone up.

Eventually Raven lost her temper. The only problem was that Raven was afraid any spell she tried to use would backfire and seriously hurt someone or get Apple instead. It would be horrible for her magic to twist it so it also hurt Apple. Actually it would probably turn Duchess into the swan she was meant to be, and Apple would probably turn into an apple or something.

So Raven had to make the spell selfish, or try to not use her own magic at all. The Rebel tapped her foot as she watched as Apple broke off her conversation with Ashlynn to glue herself to Daring's side and very politely, but very firmly tell Duchess off her not boyfriend. Duchess faked tears in her eyes and acted like the wounded party. Raven has decided days ago that no matter what, she had to help other Rebels be their own person. Ashlynn and her had a couple of classes together, though obviously the teacher's always taught them toward their designated moral ideal. Still, because Raven was going to be a queen of such, she ended up in special classes with characters like Apple, Ashlynn, and Daring simply because they were all meant to be rulers at one point in their lives. The difference came when discussing readings, homework, and project goals. The lectures as a whole had to be vague and address all moral compasses. This worked since lectures tended to be short and to the point while students did projects, research, and presentations for the rest of the time.

There was even a debate scheduled for midterm where each student would defend their way of ruling with only a final grade as a determiner as to who won.

Somehow, for the last week, Ashlynn sat with Raven. The future Cinderella seemed okay with Apple, but she avoided the future Snow White as much as Raven did. Raven had figured that the future Cinderella was avoiding Apple for the same reason as Raven herself was. No one wanted a lecture, and after all the crap Raven had to put up with from the teachers, the Rebel had not been ready to deal with Apple's interrogations.

Suddenly Cerise streaked past her, running back toward the castle, gripping her red hood with tears gathering at the side of her eyes. Apple was hot on her heels, but Cerise actually knew how to run and run well. She was on the school track team, and had won quite a few meets.

Apple gave up fairly quickly, bending over a second after she stopped her pursuit to catch her breath. When Apple turned toward the group again, Raven glanced over to see most of the group hadn't noticed, or in Daring's case had his own problems to deal with and was trying to fend Duchess over again.

Raven stopped Apple and took her to the side so they could talk. If Raven was really serious about changing her fate so it didn't reflect her mother's, then she needed to do kind things no matter what initial resistance there was.

Apple looked genuinely surprised that Raven had caught her. Then again, Raven had been ignoring and avoiding the future Snow White for the week. After what Apple said during the assembly, Raven felt a little bad about avoiding her all that week. Sure Apple was a Royal through and through, and sometimes she could be a little pushy on the whole 'Raven should be evil' thing, but at the same time, she was the most accepting character Raven knew. Instead of shunning Raven because of her future, Apple embraced her, and it wasn't just the evil. Sure at the end of last year Apple had confronted Raven for saying sorry about spilling her ink or something, but this year Raven had broken her mirror, and Apple hadn't had any problems or objections to Raven saying she would do something to make up for it.

"I think I know who stole my evil side now," Raven said lightly, titling her head in the direction the group had gone. Apple blushed and shyly glanced at the ground. "I knew Duchess was a nuisance, but I never realized how insidious her plans were."

"You really think so?" asked Apple. She looked almost hopeful, as if she had been thinking that Duchess was also a little evil, but hadn't been able to even confirm it with herself. Duchess wasn't a Royal, it was no surprise when the future Swan had refused her future it had not been as much as a surprise at it should have. After all, Duchess was supposed to fall in love with someone who had never loved before and then die. Daring definitely loved Apple. And yet, Swan had always proclaimed herself to be a Royal, and before this year had proclaimed that even if she didn't get Daring in high school, he'd find her and release her spell as a Swan. "You're not saying that just to make me feel better?"

"I would think me telling you that Duchess was evil would upset you seeing as she is supposed to be good," Raven couldn't help but point out.

"I'm not convinced she really is good," said Apple with a sigh. "Her story doesn't actually say. A character might just assume that because she is the main character of her story that she is good."

"I guess," said Raven. She supposed that she hadn't ever expected Apple to be that deep. Raven's mother had always warned Raven that one of the reasons she was evil was because someone had a big head and all the resources. Raven's mother had always said that the past was written by the victors and that if she had won, Apple's mother would have been the evil one. "So, I was thinking. I could try to 'steal Duchess's evil'. Or at least distract her while you go shopping so you can catch up your friends and be with Daring properly."

"You'd do that for me?" asked Apple, her expression was hopeful, before it fell and her hands dropped to her side.

"For a favor," said Raven carefully. Apple seemed suspicious, but Raven raced to assure her. After all, whatever Apple had decided in her mind was probably completely wrong and either twisted. Raven remembered quite a few of her mother's 'deals'. "Can we not talk about my choice, or about Rebels and Royals in our room?"

"Why?" asked Apple, crossing her arms and in general her body language becoming more defensive.

"Because I'm afraid one of us will break the contract if you keep pushing the subject," said Raven in exasperation. "We live together Apple. Eventually, if neither of us changed our minds in time, either you would become evil by trying to strangle me or attack me with birds, or I wouldn't be in our stories by virtue of being locked in the deepest dungeon of the some dank dungeon."

"Oh," said Apple. "That's why you've been avoiding me."

Apple seemed to be hesitate, not ready to promise anything. Making a deal with an evil queen never turned out well in the stories. Or at least, it was always a trial for the good characters to get out of the deal. Because welching on a deal was always a smart idea. Still, Raven had to admit that in many instances the evil characters twisted the words and meaning of the deals to meet their own needs or make it impossible for the good character to be true to their side of the deal, so the good characters also cheating made sense. In Raven's mind, it sunk them down to the level of the evil characters.

"It's a deal," said Apple, and then turned sharply and quick walked so she could catch up to the rest of the group. Raven felt an irrational smile split her lip and then she found her focus instantly turning to Duchess. How could she get Duchess off Apple's back?

Duchess might be a Rebel, but looking at a characters' story was the best way to figure out the best way to get at them. Even Raven had a little bit of her story as her vice. The difference between Raven and Duchess, was that Raven already knew there was no way to be the best. Instead Raven spent a ridiculous amount of time to look the best she could even with her pale complexion. Raven might be beautiful, but every character was beautiful especially the princesses. Raven had to succumb to dressing like what her destiny expected in order to look as beautiful as she could.

Raven froze Duchesses feet to the ground. She waited to see if anything happened, but not only was the future Evil Queen's magic working in her favor, but no one seemed to notice. Well, Daring probably did, but as soon as Duchess was off him he immediately relaxed and took out his mirror. It also helped that Duchess's two henchmen were oddly absent.

Duchess turned an interesting shade of red, her body moving jerkily as her feet stayed glued to the ground. Finally she turned enough to see Raven, her glare would have turned Raven to ice if her magic wasn't completely tied with dancing.

"You're breaking your contract," shouted Duchess, her voice cracking with anger. Raven rolled her eyes.

"This falls under the clause of harmless prank," Raven pointed out. "And I did it because you're a rebel."

"What the hell does that mean?"demanded Duchess, still squirming and twisting. "Why do you care if I didn't want to follow my shitty aunt's destiny. Yeah, caught you off guard didn't I Evil Queen? The Swan killed herself and her love before they could consummate their love because her love was a moron and declared his love for a different girl. By accident! So excuse me if I don't want to follow her story line!"

"I'm not blaming you," said Raven, holding up her hands. "I just don't understand why you're being forced to follow your aunts. I thought only the children..."

Duchess threw back her head and started laughing manically. Raven winced at the sound. "You actually think that Headmaster cares? All he cares about is his stories repeating themselves into eternity and making him immortal. Or whatever."

"Immortal?" asked Raven. Duchess screamed and Raven canceled the spell on her feet before the character hurt herself.

"So, how are you going to help me? Going to kill the enchanter that was supposed to curse me?" demanded Duchess.

"No, I'm going to kill anyone," said Raven, glaring. Why did everyone automatically think she was going to do something evil? The future evil queen took a deep breath in. "I am going to teach you a spell that, while not perfect, could break your enchantment."

"How?" asked Duchess sharply. "One of your mother's spells. If either or you knew how to get an enchantment off, you'd use it on her shoes."

"She did," said Raven, fast enough to stop Duchess from turning away from her. "Her shoes were supposed to burn her, but as long as she keeps dancing, she stays alive."

"So what?" asked Duchess, turning up her nose dismissively. "How is that going to help me? Even if you had an enchantment, I have hardly any magic."

Raven rolled her eyes. "My mother was the one who took out your eleven aunts. They were the ones that taught her vicariously through their dancing most of the magic she uses now to keep her alive. Since you're the thirteenth daughter of the 12th dancing princess, I'm guessing your magic is rooted in dancing. I've seen you at a couple of the musicals. You can't act, but you can definitely dance."

Duchess turned red, her immediate reaction being one of anger, but she deflated quickly, looking to the side and clutching her arm. "You knew already." She accused. Raven rolled her eyes. Princesses could be so juvenile sometimes. "So what are you going to teach me? What could my illustrative aunts shown your mother that could keep me from my curse? According to most people, your mother was probably the sorcerer at fault for my mother's death."

"My mother doesn't talk much about the past, all she does is plot and experiment with the dance magic she knows," said Raven. "I can't step the spell, but if you get cursed, I know a dance that will break the enchantment, as long as the sorcerer enchants you and not an object like a necklace or something."

"There's no necklace in my story," said Duchess sharply before she bit her lip."This has to be a trick. You have to want something..."

Duchess physically recoiled from the blade, a hint of fear mixed with disgust on her face. "Why should I? One of the reason I became a Rebel was so I could be with my love."

Raven didn't say anything just continued to hold the knife extended to the princess, tip first. The future evil queen truly believed that Duchess didn't really love Daring, the question was if the character herself knew. Either Duchess would make the decision to let Daring go as a character she fixated on to rebel against a destiny that had been unfairly thrust upon her, or she would let her pride and her own imagined love get in the way and turn Raven down. In that case, well, at least Raven had given Apple some time to be with Daring uninterrupted.

Then Duchess reached forward, her finger brushing up against the blade and pushing only a little before she recoiled, a flash of pain rippling across her face. A tint of Raven's purple magic mixed with the blood on the tip of the blade before the magic and the blood seemed to disappear. Raven drew in a steady breath. Her mother might be neglectful at times in Raven's teaching's, but Raven herself had often tested out the safer dancing spells her mother wanted tested and couldn't herself for fear they would stop her dancing feet. Besides that, her mother had also taught Raven basic spells, and when she had seen her daughter had a natural talent for dark spells.

Raven led Duchess into one of the more obscure dance studios. It was a little strange how many stories had dancing in them in one way or another. It turned out that while Duchess might have been passed over and given her aunts or half aunts or whatever story instead of her parents, she still had been taught by them at least basic dancing spells. And not all of them were strictly good. It turned out that Raven's mother murdering most of her family actually left a firm resolve in the remaining princess to teach all her daughters all the spells dances could create that could devastate the dancer's enemies.

When Raven asked if her mother taught them because they were meant to fight her, Duchess danced Raven into a the garden. The walk back gave Raven time to reflect. Raven had been surprised despite herself, that Duchess hadn't demanded that Raven at least teach her how to do all the dances that Raven knew. Really, Raven had expected the girl to demand that, if not a bit more.

Then again, Raven remember that this was someone with a happily ever after, who grew up with a family on the right side of the evil and good. She didn't have the mind to think of something that ridiculous.

Duchess actually wasn't that bad at dancing. Raven wasn't trying to be rude to the other girl; however, Duchess had an annoying habit of doing these almost ballet steps especially when she was being cruel or devious. And well, the dance moves Raven was showing were graceful, they were not ballet, or anything close to it. Her mother had been best at ballroom dancing, which was awkward since she always either have to dance by herself or lean over to hold her daughter's hands as they moved. Raven had learned, but since she was never allowed to parties, she never got any practice.

Her mother instead randomly got her an instructor to teach her hip hop. Raven briefly got that the Evil Queen somehow thought that hip hop was evil, which made the bubbly blonde that was teaching it to Raven squeal and clap her hands happily. Raven did find out if she was part of a story or not, obviously nothing that ended up at Ever After High.

Duchess has no interest in hip hop. Even when Raven tries to tell her how it will help her the other girl turns up her nose. Raven glowers at her. She wants to tell Duchess about how she helped her mother trap the Sugar Plum Fairy. Now there was a woman who knew how to dance and how to do it with style. Raven had dreamed of the Sugar Plum Fairy realizing that with her ability to curse someone without talking and her dancing, she would be perfect with Raven's always chattering and dancing mother.

"Are you actually going to teach me anything?" Duchess asked with a sneer, hands on her hips. Raven sighed and face palmed. If Duchess would just cooperate and let Raven teach her the dances and they could easily work out how to save Duchess.

This could be perfect. Raven was helping Duchess fight her destiny and have a full and happy life and helping Apple.

"This is pointless," shrieked Duchess screamed as Raven tried to teach her some ballroom dancing. The daughter of the evil queen watched as Duchess twirled on toes. Apparently she needed to do a bit of ballet to get the ballroom off her, or maybe she was shaking off the feeling of Raven's hands. Either way the future Evil Queen watched in irritation. Ballroom dancing really isn't that far from dancing was it? And Raven had watched from the shadows her mother and the Sugar Plum fairy dancing. Though in ballet it always seemed less of a dance between two people as one real dancer and another supporter.

"We could get the Sugar Plum Fairy," said Raven, kneading her head with her hands, wracking her brain on how to help the stubborn character when she was being impossible to work with. Really, Raven was trying to teach her magic that would save her. That would get her the happily ever after she had always wanted.

"And how do you think we could accomplish that?" asked the Duchess with a sneer. "She has subjects to tend to, and is too busy for anyone."

The words sounded bitter and half of Raven wanted to correct the future Swan because she was angry, and half because she felt like she wanted to assure her that Raven could let her meet the Sugar Plum Fairy. Really, the Sugar Plum Fairy was among one greatest dancers known.

But then Raven bit her lip and turned away from Duchess, not thinking about what this gesture would mean to the other girl. All that was on her mind was how she really couldn't summon the Sugar Plum Fairy. Well, no, technically she could. She knew the magic, and the spell would spill from her fingertips, rushing out in relief to create. Raven knew that part of the reason magic escaped her so often was because she didn't use it as often as she should and it built inside her and burst like a dam. Purple magic crackled inside her fingernails making Raven's fingers tingle and her body shiver in anticipation. She pushed the feeling away. Because summoning the Sugar Plum Fairy against her will was evil, no matter how much she wanted to do it, it just wasn't right.

"You lying..." Duchess mouth shut tight. Her entire body was taught as a rope and she looked like she was doing everything in her power not to run at Raven and strangle the future evil queen. "You only wanted to distract me so you can continue to try and fool Apple into thinking you actually are good. Well guess what? You don't fool me. I will make Daring love me. He will be my one and only love and anyone else will pale in contrast to me in his eyes."

The ballet dancer did a quick curtsy, her arms graceful and her toes pointed out. Raven quickly ran after her, and grabbed her shoulder. Duchess ripped her shoulder out of Raven's grip, a disgusted sneer on her lips.

"Wait," Raven was saying, a breathless need to her voice. "Just wait. I swear to you that I know the dance you need. Maybe Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, no one, seems to want to help you, not even your family. But I do. I want you to get a happily ever after. I want you to be happy, and you can't be that if..."

"If I'm what?" demanded Duchess, practically stalking, eyes bright, toward Raven. Getting into Raven's space as she never had before. Duchess grasped Raven's chin, and the future Evil Queen found herself backing up in shock. Duchess followed her, Raven tripping over her feet, stumbling until she hit the wall, feeling trapped by this small framed dancer even when Duchess didn't make any moves to try and touch her. "Dead? No."

There was a pause and then finally, when Raven thought she had finally gotten enough nerve to say something, Duchess snorted in disdain. "You really believe that don't you? You want to be good? All because you won't get your happily ever after."

Duchess shook her head. "You're naive and stupid. Worse of all. You are willfully ignorant of your own evil. It's actually rather disturbing. You don't really want to help me. You don't even really want to be nice to Apple. You just want to be good because you want what the good people get, or what they get now that for some reason we have to follow the exact path of our parents where most stories end happily."

"Not all good people get happy endings," said Raven, folding her arms and standing taller. Duchess could say whatever she liked, but Raven knew herself and knew that wasn't how she was thinking. Yes, she wanted to change her destiny, but that didn't mean she had to be good. She wanted the choice of what to be, it just happened that she wanted to be a good person. A genuinely good person. Not someone who was only good because that was their destiny.

"No, no they don't," said Duchess, looking down on the ground. Then she sneered. "Goodbye Raven Queen, and don't you dare try to get in my way again."

"Duchess, Daring is Apple's. They love each other," said Raven. Duchess threw Raven's hand off.

"What do you know about their relationship?" demanded Duchess, shoulders tight and words spitting. "They have never thought of having a choice. They always knew and embraced their destinies because they never thought they could have a choice and could see no reason why they wouldn't want that destiny. Well I'm going to show Daring just what he is missing by letting himself get bound by Apple."

"You don't love him Duchess!" shouted Raven, finally out of patience with the other girl. "You just like the idea of having him."

"What do you know?" demanded Duchess, fingers grasping and digging into her palm. "No matter what you say. No matter what anyone says. I love her. Apple White is mine!"

Raven was so shocked that she felt her body physically recoil from Duchess. She was so fast that her head cracked against the stone wall behind her. The sound seem to jar Duchess from her anger. She looked shocked and then her hands flew to cover her mouth, her eyes wide.

"Y-you know what I mean," said Duchess, her voice shaking even as she glared. She backed away from Raven on the very tips of her shoes. She then muttered something that didn't quite reach Raven and turned and fled.

Raven watched for a second, then realized that Duchess was probably going to run straight to Daring. No, Raven had promised to help Apple. If Duchess ran back than it would seem like she hadn't kept her word. That couldn't happen. She had just started to take amends, to start forging communication between her and Apple.

"No Duchess..." said Raven, sure that she would ruin everything. The magic that had been itching her fingers sprang out, growing from the wish of magic and twisting its way and striking Duchess just as she made a gentle leap into the air. Duchess drew in a soft gasp and there was a crunch like bones splintering and muscle tearing. Where Duchess had been purple magic grew and darkened, feathers burst, and finally it formed. Duchess never touched the ground. Instead the black swan that had been Duchess had been let out a honk and flew away.

Fear gripped Raven. What would happen now? Had she just screwed up her life beyond saving? They would throw her out of Ever After High, or, well, who knew what they would do. She had just changed Duchess into a swan. Did that make her the bad guy in Duchess's story? But, then, what about Gosling? The teacher had always seemed to love his part in Duchess's story, though he was never cruel to her. Instead he always showed Duchess favoritism. Giving her gifts and praising her work no matter how shoddily it was done.

Raven found herself walking aimlessly, and somehow still inevitably ended up back at school. She sat down at one of the benches, watching without seeing as servants and volunteers put together the party that night in the middle of the quad. She watched as Wren jumped around Peggy, well, his name was Peg, but the others liked to tease. He had a bit of a lisp, was born without one leg, and was destined to lose one hand to Crow. He was a little bit of a joke, even more so than most pirates.

Wren laughed as Peg threw him in the air. Raven watched them play. She was surprised when the Headmaster came down to watch the preparations and didn't scold them. Instead he almost seemed to be smiling as Peg lifted and tossed little Wren around, huge smiles on both their faces. What was with them anyway? Was it because instead of stories just being guided as they had once been, they now had to be destined? Was that why sworn enemies now played and became such close friends. Though Crow and Peg did genuinely hate each other. Crow constantly taunted Peg about the day he would cut off his hand and feed it to the crocodile when they were in Never Never Land, and played rather cruel pranks that everyone thought were hysterical.

But Peg, he never complained. He had already signed his name. Had promised, probably happily, to fulfill his destiny. Perhaps it was because he would never really hurt Wren. He also would never get revenge on Crow, but maybe that didn't bother Peg. Maybe Peg was such a genuinely good guy that he didn't mind only getting to cuss at Crow.

What did that say about Raven? Peg, who hated one of the people in his story, was willing to sacrifice himself to a miserable story just to be sure that Wren turned out alright. If Raven really was such a good person, wouldn't she make that sacrifice.

Raven hit her hand hard on the bench. No. Peg would be forced to do terrible things in order to save Wren. Raven would save countless lives, not just one. She was not in love with Apple. Actually, if the Headmaster had just thought to give Raven a love potion to make her obsessed with Apple than she would have done anything to make Apple happy which meant she would have gone with her destiny.

"Hey Raven," said Cupid, making Raven jump and look behind her. The pink monster stood behind Raven, streamers hanging from her and her arms full of boxes with decorations looking ready to explode from their confines. "Sorry, didn't mean to shock you. I just thought that if you didn't have anything to do you could help us set up."

"Oh," said Raven, her eyes glancing up at the other girl. The future Evil Queen soon learned that Cupid was on the Rebel side. Of course, this could be because the girl wanted a story, or at least wanted to have some impact on the world. After all, how was Cupid supposed to be of any real use with the stories already dictating who was going to have a happily ever after with who. Of course, Cupid had the odd distinction of technically being a monster. Raven wasn't sure how that worked since Cupid's father was supposed to be a God, at least Raven thought so. "Of course. How can I help?"

The rest of the afternoon Raven let her mind wander away from the ordeal of doing good things and actually having them turn out good. Raven instead just concentrated on putting up the decorations and listening to the band picked for that night. Raven found herself humming along to the song. She loved to sing, unfortunately, unless Raven started to be taken seriously, all Raven would probably be able to learn was songs to make ears bleed or something equally as horrendous.

Night was beginning to fall as Raven sat cross-legged in the gazebo just listening as the band play. Eventually she decided she had had enough. Still, with nothing to celebrate, Raven decided to call it a night. Except that as she past the high school characters, all dancing together, and yet separated by invisible lines through Rebels and Royals and Human characters and Animal characters, Raven saw Hunter run past her, fear painted on his face. Raven quickly walked to the front of the castle where some of the castle knights held Ashlynn in a tight grip.

Already friends of Ashlynn were standing angrily in front of the guards and yelling. Dexter was wiping some blood from his lips, the side of his mouth already starting to bruise. Raven ran to him, her fingers splaying where he had been hit. The second prince blushed, looking away from Raven. He was probably embarrassed that he couldn't save Ashlynn, though he shouldn't be too discouraged, it looked like Daring had also tried, if his attempts to catch his breath and the way he held his ribs.

Raven wished her magic wasn't so useless when it came to healing. Still, if she was careful, she certainly could get Ashlynn free, it would just mean her magic would have to be intent on hurting the guards. Still, hurting others with magic could be a slippery slope to start sliding down, especially if Raven started to rationalize reason why she needed to do it. But Raven had to do something. A moldy, dank, only could have come from the Poison Village, and then the soldiers started to try and force Ashlynn inside it. The future princess screamed, and she put up one of the most impressive fights Raven had seen.

The future Cinderella through her head back as she screamed.

"Headmaster, please, tell them about me," shouted Ashlynn. Raven looked from where she was hardly daring to touch Dexter. There the Headmaster came in all his important glory, looking unconcerned about what was happening between the thugs he'd hired and one of his students.

"I'm sorry Ashlynn, if that is really who you are," said the Headmaster. Raven shivered. She knew that tone. It was amazing how many evil characters used that 'I'm being completely logical' tone to try and get people to their side or understand the reason they were being evil. "My hands are tied. You're parents have claimed that you are an imposter and have asked me to send you to Poison Village as you have been impersonating their daughter the whole time you've been attending our school."

"You know that's a lie," said Raven, standing from where she was kneeling.

"Raven, the fact that you're defending her is not helping her case," said the Headmaster firmly. Raven turned scarlet in anger. How typical. He typecast her again and again and would never listen to her word. Well, Raven knew how to play these games. If nothing else, then she could be sure to get Ashlynn out and unharmed of the Poison Village within a week at worst. The Evil Queen might be one of the most dastardly characters to have ever been born and she might have been a flakey mother, but didn't like to see good characters wrongfully confined to the Poison Village and she wanted Raven to have more friends at school. Whether they were good characters or not, she just wanted Raven to be able to go to someone's where she would be safe.

Raven quickly ran to her room and opened her book. She hardly ever sent letters home, having nothing she thought she need to talk or bother her mother about. Now she summoned a proper carrier, oddly enough if turned out to be a crow instead of a raven. The thing cackled and cocked it's head at Raven in confusion. Raven smiled uncertainly had it.

"Tell my mother that someone has put a spell on Ashlynn so that her parents' forgot about her and that the Headmaster is a bitter idiot and won't stand up for her. Tell her Ashlynn is a close friend and she needs to get out of the Poison Village as soon as possible. She's supposed to be Cinderella," said Raven quickly, almost absently petting the bird, except it tried to bite her. Once the message was done, the bird made a another screeching caw before flapping and taking off. Raven quickly stepped away from it. While the beast would only talk once it met her mother.

Raven sighed. If she was lucky and her mother paid attention, then Ashlynn would be back to the school in one way or another. After all, not good to leave Raven without one of her friends since Raven had admitted to having so few.

Raven sighed and then her imirror rang. It looked like everyone was getting together to either find the spell that had made Ashlynn's parents to forget about her or at least a counter spell. Raven thought it was a long shoot, but she would help. If anything else then it would throw it off people blaming her so much as to give Raven a headache. Hopefully, with this drama, it would be a long time before they realized Duchess was gone. If she was lucky, than no one would remember that Raven had been around her last. If Raven was really lucky, she would find out how to turn Duchess human again.

Of course, with Raven's luck, Duchess would turn into a human in the night and tell everyone what Raven would do. What would the Headmaster say then about her stealing other evil characters parts? Whatever it was, Raven would deal with it. She would apologize, explain she had been too frightened to say anything and the spell had been a mistake. Raven would make it right, she was a good person at heart, she wanted to do the right thing. It was just that other people made it so hard when all they could and wanted to see was the future Evil Queen.


End file.
